You Promised
by siegner124
Summary: Peyton has lost the only thing that matters in her life and now she's left to face the world with the secrets she keeps all by herself. Canon up to season 5. Leyton AU
1. Chapter 1

AN: Everything is canon up to before 5x09. Lucas and Lindsey are still engaged and the girls never got stuck in the library together. The rest of the story is AU.

This is my first fic and I have the first five chapters written so far. If the story continues on as I plan it will be a longer fic. I don't plan on posting the next chapter until I get some feedback because I don't want to write a whole story if no one likes it. So review!

I don't own One Tree Hill or the characters in this story.

Chapter 1:

As the minister began to preach his sermon, Peyton fixed her gaze on her feet and forced herself to not look at the recently placed tombstone. She couldn't handle this; she couldn't handle having another person she loved just vanish completely from her life, especially him. He promised he would never leave, he promised he wouldn't, and she made herself believe he was still alive. He had to be.

Seeing his name on that stone though was worse than seeing her mom buried only a few plots down almost ten years ago, it was more painful then when she had a bullet lodged in her leg or even the time she had found her birth mom dead in her house. His loss would be the one that would finally break her, finally push her over the edge. How much grief could one heart physically take?

It took all she had to not let the dry sobs that were caught her in throat be heard.

After the minister finished his sermon a few more people spoke and then everyone began to depart before giving their last glances at the empty grave. His body wasn't found. None of the other men in his group were found. They were just missing. Just assumed dead.

'Peyton,' Peyton looked up to see her best friend's eyes staring back at her.

'Huh?'

'We're all going to Naley's for dinner a little later. You should come,' Brooke slowly said.

'Yeah, yeah I'll be there. I'm going to stick around for a while. I just need to clear my head. You go on, I'll be fine,' Peyton sighed and then faked a small smile.

'Okay, buddy. If you need to talk we're all here,' Brooke leaned in for a hug and then began to walk to where Nathan, Haley, Karen, and the Rivercourt guys were talking.

The truth was though; Peyton couldn't talk to any of them. She couldn't tell them what happened five weeks ago the night before Lucas left. She couldn't tell them why that made this all hurt so much more. And she really couldn't tell them about that night because Lindsey was still engaged to him.

-x-

'So this is weird, huh. My mom, Keith, you, who would've thought,' Peyton mildly joked as she slowly lowered herself in front of the slab of granite. She traced her fingers over his name several times before speaking once again.

'God, Luke. This can't be happening! We're only 23. I'm not supposed to be talking to you like this. I need you. I need you Lucas. I really need you,' and for the first time in the past few days since she'd received the news, Peyton broke down. Tears slowly began to roll down her face as several sobs began to rack her body and her entire frame uncontrollably shook.

She sat there silently as memories from all the times they shared filtered and flashed through her mind. A few minutes of silence turned into hours and before she even realized the sun was setting as night started to creep upon her.

'You promised. You can't leave me, you just can't,' Peyton's voice cracked as she fervently tried to wipe the tears that still continued to flow steadily from her eyes away. She then stood, turned, and walked the short distance to Nathan and Haley's house, crying the entire way.

-x-

All the adults gathered in the living room, no one had the appetite to eat. Jamie and Lily were already put to bed. No one really said much; they just sat, made small talk, and let the day pass them by. Brooke suddenly checked the time and realized she had forgotten all about Peyton. It was nearing nine o'clock and no one had heard a word from her. As Brooke went to grab her cellphone to dial her curly blonde haired friend, a knock came from the front door and Brooke set off to open it.

'Hey. I was just about to call you…Are you okay?' Brooke quickly eyed her friend and felt a wave of worry wash over her as she took in Peyton's appearance. Her eyes were extremely red-rimmed, her lips were chapped, the makeup on her face was running everywhere, her hair was tussled, and she seemed greatly exhausted.

'Yeah. Can we just go home? I'm really tired and…' Peyton said hoarsely as Brooke quickly turned around, grabbed her purse, said goodbye to everyone, and walked back to the door.

'Let's go.'

They walked to Brooke's car and before Brooke started the ignition she peered over at Peyton. She stared back at the road, turned the key, and drove them both back to their house in silence. Brooke knew Peyton wouldn't take this so easily, but she had a feeling there was something definitely off about her friend, as if she was keeping something from her. Brooke was going to find out, no matter how heavy and emotional the situation already was, she was going to find out what was up.

She was pulled out of her thoughts abruptly as she pulled up into their driveway and turned the car off. As she moved to get out she realized Peyton was focused on nothing in particular and was completely oblivious to where they were.

'Peyton.'

'Peyton Sawyer.'

'Blondie.'

'Green eyed goldilocks.'

'Two time backstabbing bitch of an ex-best friend,' Brooke sang in a singsong voice and smirked.

'PEYTON ELIZABETH SAWYER!' Brooke screamed as she went over to the passenger's side and pulled Peyton from the car.

'What? Jeez Brooke what's the matter?' Peyton came back to reality as she followed Brooke into the house.

'You have been absently staring out the car window for the past ten minutes since we've pulled up. Peyton, I've never seen you like this. Not even after Anna passed. What's got you so bothered?' Brooke softly said as she joined her friend on the couch.

'I have to tell you something, but you can't tell anyone.' Peyton nervously looked down and quietly said, causing Brooke to crane her ears.

'Sweetie, I promise I won't.' Brooke responded as she placed her hand over Peyton's own hand that rested on her knee.

Peyton sighed deeply, trying to hold back tears as she recalled the events that happened five weeks ago.

-_Flashback-_

_It was eight o'clock on a warm Thursday night in Tree Hill. Lucas Scott was busily packing his remaining bags when a quiet knock sounded on the door in his bedroom that connected to the porch._

_He wasn't really expecting anyone and he was wondering to himself who it could be as he walked over to open the door. Lindsey had already left the night before because she had an emergency meeting in New York that she had to attend to, he had already said goodbye to his mother while she had stopped in town, and all his friends had lunch together that day as a farewell party. So when he did open that door, Peyton Sawyer was one of the last people he expected._

'_Hey Peyton. What's up?' Lucas greeted her as he motioned for her to follow him inside. _

'_I was just thinking and thought I'd see you before you left,' Peyton said as she sat on the end of his bed._

'_Wow. Peyton Sawyer is really going to miss me,' he teased as he continued to throw things into his bags. _

'_Ha ha,' Peyton deadpanned. 'It's just this is serious stuff you're getting into Lucas. Scary stuff. I already have a hard enough time worrying about Derek, and now I have to worry about both of you. I just don't know if I can handle anyone else leaving my life for good and who am I kidding you're no marine and I know it's great for your career and your writing and...' _

'_Peyton. Stop rambling. Listen to me,' Lucas was now standing in front of her placing his hands on both of her shoulders._

'_I am not trying to play hero. I won't go out of my way for anything because I have my whole family and all my amazing caring friends back here to worry about. Reporters do this all the time, and they are given the best protection and security. I'll just be over there for a good six months, gain the knowledge and footage I need to write the piece my publishing company needs, and then I'll board a plane straight on home and you will be the first person to see me. I promise. I won't leave you or anyone. I'll be okay, and so will you,' Lucas gazed intensely into her eyes and pulled her in for a hug as he saw tears start to form and drop down her face._

_Peyton hugged him tightly and didn't let go. She wasn't just worried about his safety because he was her friend and he was going into the middle of a war zone, she was worried because he was the man she loved and she was terrified that she would never see him again. She was still in love with Lucas Scott, but he was still engaged to someone else. _

'_You promise?' Peyton asked as she stuck her pinky finger up in the air._

'_I promise,' he chuckled as he slipped his little finger in hers. Only would Peyton Sawyer make him pinky swear about such a serious commitment. _

_Only Peyton Sawyer would demand to be the first to see him when he arrived at the airport. Only Peyton Sawyer would breakdown just for him in his bedroom after putting on a brave face so many hours before. Lucas realized then that maybe Peyton was the only girl for him, no matter how many times he declared his love for Lindsey._

_Lindsey wasn't even here to wish him goodbye, Peyton was. He was too stubborn though, too impatient, too much of an ass to ever follow his heart and true feelings. Right then though, he needed to show her those feelings. He needed to prove to her that he still did love her so much. _

_He also understood that feeling of anxiety that Peyton was experiencing. He had a voice in the back of his head telling him all day not to go, but he ignored it. Now with the girl of his dreams standing in front of him, he couldn't ignore it. If this voice was right, and this was his 'final goodbye' he had to make it a great one._

'_Well I guess I should probably be leaving. You have stuff to do and it's getting late,' Peyton spoke as she slightly pulled back from his embrace._

_She started walking towards the door just as Lucas latched his hand onto her wrist and stopped her in her tracks. _

'_Don't go, I don't mind,' he spoke firmly not wanting her to leave quite yet. _

'_Lucas, I don't kn-' before Peyton could finish what she was saying Lucas had pulled her against him and gently brushed his lips across hers._

'_Lucas, we can't,' she breathed out._

'_Peyton no one will know, I want to be able to know you'll be okay, I'm scared and I want you to know…' _

'_You want me to know what?'_

'_I want you to know I made a mistake. A huge mistake that I plan on fixing, a mistake that I regret every day, that I've regretted since I left you in that hotel room that morning. Will you please just stay, before I go off into the unknown?' He pleaded._

_After a moment of hesitation she gave in. She knew it was wrong, she knew she shouldn't be doing this, she knew that tomorrow it would just be more pain in her already broken heart, but who was she to deny Lucas Scott, the man who had wrote a whole book about her? She needed him, she craved him, and his words seemed genuine. Tomorrow he was gone and in danger, and that was enough for her to justify their actions. _

_With a quick nod she leaned in to kiss him once again as she wrapped her hands around his neck. His hands found her waist, his tongue entered her mouth, and in a matter of seconds he was pushing her onto his bed never breaking their kiss._

_He took off his shirt then moved down to her neck as she ran her fingers through his short hair. Neither of them had felt so alive, so whole in years. The breathy whisper of his name from her mouth sent shivers down his spine. He never wanted this to end. _

_He slipped his hand underneath her shirt and gently ran his fingers up her spine. She motioned for him to take it off and he quickly did, gasping a little after. The close proximity of her simply took his breath away, he shuddered involuntarily as he began to place small, chaste kisses starting along her jaw line then slowly making his way down her body. _

_His lips on her skin ignited so many emotions within her. She dug her nails into his back and reveled in the feeling of his toned muscles moving underneath her hands. She missed his touch, she missed this contact, but most of all she missed being with him all-around. She cupped his face and forced him to stare into her eyes, hoping to find some sort of sign to let her know that he missed her just as much, that this wasn't just sex, that he still cared._

_Just as suddenly as she had, he was leaning back down and pressing his lips to hers once more, this time though it was more passionate, more heartfelt. _

_Her hands blindly groped the air searching for his belt. Eventually they'd found their destination and she fumbled with the clasp before getting a steady hold. _

'_I'm sorry,' he rasped as she undid his belt buckle._

'_For what?'_

'_Lots of things.'_

_Peyton swore her heart fluttered even more when she heard those words that she spoke so long ago. She pulled him back and kissed him so furiously, Lucas knew how much of an impact that had. _

_Within minutes they became a tangled mess of bare arms and legs, heavy breathing, and long overdue pleasure. Lucas rolled over onto his back and felt content, the most content he'd felt in years. He wrapped his arms around Peyton as she snuggled into his side and fell asleep with her head resting on his chest. This was supposed to be their life. This could have been all theirs. And Lucas knew, it still could be. _

'_I've missed you,' Peyton sleepily mumbled._

'_I've missed you too,' he said as he kissed her temple before falling into a deep sleep himself. _

_-x-_

_Morning came far too quickly the next day. Lucas' alarm clock started to beep as he reached across to his nightstand to turn it off. It was then that he noticed an empty bed beside him and a small handwritten note left upon the sheets._

-Luke,

This, this, this was a mistake. I can't be the other woman again Lucas, it's not fair to you or to Lindsey. I'm sorry. We've gone down that road before and I promised myself never again would I do that. Ever. Our emotions just got the best of us, I was caught up in your well-being, and we both were. I'm really sorry Luke. If I stayed it would of just been too hard. You promised me though you'd return so don't forget. You will return.

I, I'll miss you.

Love, Peyton

_After reading her note he felt slightly dejected but he quickly showered, changed, made a small breakfast, shoved Peyton's note in his wallet and took an unexpected stop before heading to the airport_

_-End Flashback-_

'Okay, so you guys basically slept together the night before he left?' Brooke asked slightly happy, but slightly disappointed at the same time.

'It just, it just happened Brooke. Before he left I had this notion, like some strange sense that something really bad was going to happen. God, I should have never let him leave. He promised, he even pinky swore he'd come home,' Peyton set her head in her hands and started to sob.

'Peyton, none of what happened is your fault. No matter what, he would have gone anyway, he had to,'

'I know. I know Brooke. There's more though,' She frantically looked anywhere but at Brooke, not fully prepared of what was to happen after what she would say next.

'More? What do you mean there's more?'

Peyton abruptly stood, walked to the kitchen, grabbed her purse off the table and went to sit back down. She unzipped it, searched around for a while until her hand found what she was looking for and stopped a moment before pulling it out. She set it in front of Brooke's shocked face.

'When did you…are you sure…it could..'

'Last night. I knew something was wrong, so I went to the store. After I found out, I just stared at the wall in the bathroom and wondered were in the world he was, if he was okay, if he even is still alive.'

'That's why you locked yourself in there?'

'Yeah. I'm pregnant Brooke. I'm pregnant with a supposed deceased man's child who is engaged to his editor. I need him. I don't know how I'm going to do this without him,' Peyton closed her eyes and felt Brooke pull her into her side.

'P. Sawyer we are going to be all right. You are going to have this baby, you are going to have support from all your friends and we will find him.'

'He promised Brooke. He promised,' Peyton drawled hysterically, pain heavily evident in her eyes.

'I know and Lucas Scott is not a man to break his promises. We don't know that he's broken this one yet.'

-x-

'I can't stay here Brooke. And you can't tell anyone. I'm going to go back to Los Angeles and staying there. I can start another branch of Red Bedroom and find a suitable place for me and baby on board. No one will find out that way, it's for the best,' Peyton rushed as she grabbed her already packed bags and headed into the kitchen.

'But Peyton, how are you going to live by yourself when the due date gets closer?'

'You can come down and live with me for a while or something. Let's not worry about that till then.'

'This is crazy Peyton. I'm going to miss you. Everyone is going to miss you. What am I supposed to tell them?'

'That it was too hard for me to be in this town that has so many horrid memories and pain attached to it that I needed to get away and start over.'

'But-'

'No. No more excuses Brooke. I'm going and it's done. I already have everything packed and a plane to catch. Thank you so much Brooke for everything, you're great, and someday I promise to repay you for all you have done for me. In the meantime don't worry, we can talk everyday, but I really have to do this,' Peyton sighed and they hugged until it was time for her to leave.

'Bye P. Sawyer. Be safe. We're all going to miss you. Visit some?'

'I will. Don't worry. Do your thing B. Davis, I'll come home someday,' Brooke waved and smiled as her best friend and roommate left her once again.

And with that Peyton started her car and made one stop before leaving North Carolina for good. She dropped off a handwritten letter that she expected no one would ever read on top of his desk in his bedroom and silently made her last goodbye with the only man she could ever give her full heart to. And then she walked away, praying that it wouldn't have to be the last time she did.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thanks for all the reviews, I have a lot planned for this story and I'm really excited about it. This is probably the fastest I'll update, but I felt the need to get it up as soon as possible.

I really appreciate all the feedback and hopefully this chapter won't disappoint. Once again I don't own anything One Tree Hill related. Reviews are great!

Chapter 2

****- Everything in this chapter takes place two weeks before Lucas's funeral, except where it skips ahead two weeks***

Lucas Scott, four other American writers, and five marines were briskly walking towards base camp once again after a long day of trekking through the terrain of the Middle East.

For three weeks now, Lucas and his team had been working with the military to compose a large piece dedicated to showing how modern warfare has changed drastically over the past hundred years and to give the public a better perspective on what being on the fronts was like and how war effects the world around us.

At first, Lucas wasn't really set on joining the project, this really wasn't his style of writing and he wasn't sure that he could help benefit as much to the work as the others. His publishing company sat down with him for a whole day though and explained why he should do it; lots of knowledge, it would help his own career and the company, and there was a good pay that came along with it.

He reluctantly agreed and thinking back to it now, he was glad he did. Never in his life had he done anything as adventurous as this and he was quickly becoming great friends with his fellow co-writers.

Before falling to sleep each night, Lucas would pull out his wallet and read the words she'd written him. Those words became a soundtrack to his mind. He knew on some level she was right and he didn't want to put anyone through another hellish love triangle, but that didn't mean he thought it was a mistake. He considered it the opposite because being with her made him realize the only mistake he'd made was abandoning her in that hotel room years ago. Him putting her through all the pain he had was a mistake, but he couldn't help to wonder if she didn't want him like he was starting to possibly want her.

'Hey Luke. What you got there?' One of the marines, Wyatt Hensley, whose cot was located next to Luke's asked him.

'Just a goodbye note, nothing major.'

'Nothing major?' Wyatt scoffed. 'You know I've watched you read that thing every single night for the past few weeks. It's totally from a girl,' he joked.

'So maybe it is. It makes me think about all the mistakes I've made and how I've screwed up big time, I was such an idiot.'

'A guy like you making mistakes, now the methodical Lucas Scott I know would never screw up big time. It can't be that bad,' Wyatt sarcastically drawled and smirked over at Luke.

'If only you knew the whole story,' Lucas sighed.

'Tell me then. I don't think I'll be able to sleep anyways.'

'Okay, but I'm warning you. It's long, and messy,' Lucas began as he went to recall practically the whole love story that was Lucas and Peyton.

-x-

The next morning Lucas and Wyatt were walking together and after Lucas told Wyatt basically the plot to 'An Unkindness of Ravens' they became best friends over night. Wyatt himself grew up in a poor community and lost both his parents at a very young age.

'So this Peyton girl sounds like a warrior. What did you say her brother's name was?' Wyatt asked.

'Derek Summers. He's a marine.'

'I know him! We trained at a military academy together before our first deployments,' Wyatt exclaimed.

'Small world I guess. He's a really great guy and Peyton-' Lucas broke off suddenly as a high-pitched screech sounded above them.

Within seconds Wyatt pushed Lucas to the ground and drew his weapon as they crouched in the undergrowth.

'What's happening?' Lucas barely whispered as smoke surrounded the area several yards in front of them.

'Someone must have saw our group. Under code this is private protected area and they must not have been informed about what we're exactly doing. Probably mistook us for invaders or hackers or spies. This is bad. We're being ambushed.'

Wyatt quickly grabbed his walkie-talkie and breathed out several urgent codes. 'Lucas, no matter what happens follow my lead. Do as they ask, most likely we will be apprehended. Don't speak or resist.'

As Lucas begun to nod an explosion went off not far from them and sent both men reeling back several feet.

Darkness engulfed him. His eyes seemed unable to open as a pounding overtook his head. Shrieks were heard. Screaming even. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. Smoke was clouding around him and he thought to himself that this was it. He'd never see home again. He'd never see Peyton. He'd never get to tell her. He would be breaking his promise to her. This couldn't be the end.

'Luke!' Wyatt shouted as he frantically crawled around searching. When his arm bumped into a shoulder he quickly picked up the half-unconscious man and carried him to safety away from all the smoke. It took every ounce of energy Wyatt had. He was panting by the time they were out of range of the thick noxious gases. Luke's eyes were dilated, he seemed limp, but he still had a pulse.

'Lucas. Lucas. Can you hear me?'

For a brief second Luke seemed to come back into focus and see the environment around him. A fire was blazing close by and a group of men were closing in on where him and Wyatt were sitting. He couldn't speak, he couldn't hear, he couldn't move. And just as quickly, darkness filled his eyes once again. This time though he fully blacked out.

_-x-_

_He was sitting in a church, the third pew from the front row to be exact. Why was he sitting in a church? People were surrounding him, lots of people. He couldn't spot a face he recognized though. What were all these people doing here, but more importantly why was he here?_

_He finally laid eyes on a brunette who was standing near the front of the church calmly talking with the two other ladies dressed in the same dress. Okay, so Brooke was here too. _

_He continued to search around and realized that his mom and Andy were sitting to the right of him talking silently. Where was Lily?_

_None of this made any sense. Promptly his eyes fell on the familiar face of his brother and his best friend a few rows in front of him. Where was Jaime? _

_Wait, that wasn't Nathan sitting beside Haley. Nathan was now standing across from Brooke to the right of an unknown man dressed in a very expensive tux. Lucas blinked again and realized all the Rivercourt guys were sitting next to Haley where he swore Nathan was. Everyone had smiles on their faces. _

_What is happening? He needed to know so he went to shake his mom's arm and get some answers. 'Mom, what's happening?'_

'_Calm down. You always were one to be impatient at these things. We're waiting for the ceremony to start. It won't be much longer,' Karen smiled sweetly at him and turned her face back towards Andy._

_Okay, that didn't help. 'Why are we here though, in this church?'_

'_Lucas. Don't play dumb. I know this is hard for you, but you didn't have to come. You can always leave. Just don't ruin this,' Karen warned._

_What was she talking about? What is going on?_

_Suddenly as if to answer all his questions Brooke was walking down the aisle. An organ had begun playing and everyone moved to rise. _

_Once Brooke reached her place beside the other two women, a woman whom Lucas hadn't seen yet dressed in a flowing white gown began her descent down the aisle with an older man in arm. Lucas assumed it was the woman's father. _

_As she walked past where Lucas was now standing, he was more baffled than ever. He couldn't make out the faces of either figures and none of it made sense._

_Following the bride came Lily holding a basket full of flowers, throwing them carelessly as she glided past the pews. She winked at Luke. _

_Following Lily was the last person of the procession, little James Scott. Outfitted in a tiny tux with a tie he carried two rings resting on a cushion stopping at the altar before taking his seat next to Lily in the front row. _

_Brooke was awing over the children and when she placed her gaze on Lucas' face, she gave him a sympathetic smile then shrugged._

_Now he had an idea of what was happening. _

_The man slowly lifted the veil from the bride's face and Lucas swore his heart stopped. Standing at the altar, holding hands with the unknown man, glowing, looking as beautiful as Lucas imagined she would be, was Peyton Sawyer. His Peyton Sawyer. _

_The minister began to read the vows as Lucas tuned out trying to understand what was unfolding right before his own eyes. _

_By the time he came back to reality, the man had said 'I do' and now it was Peyton's turn. Before responding she turned her head to look right in Lucas' eyes, as did everyone else in the entire church. He had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach as he tried to fight back tears._

'_I do,' she pronounced extremely slowly and smirked a malicious smile toward Lucas before looking back at the man in front of her. It was then that the man's face came into focus for the first time to Lucas. His hands naturally curled into fists as his jaw clenched._

_The man was Jake, but as he leaned in to kiss Peyton, the face suddenly began to morph into a whole new set of facial features and kept morphing. Chris Keller? Chase Adams? Pete freaking Wentz? Now Nathan? What kind of wedding was this?_

_The face morphed into one last one as Peyton broke from the kiss with whomever the hell the man was supposed to be. The last face pushed Lucas to the edge. He scowled as Ian Banks appeared before him wistfully sneering. _

'_Early bird gets the worm. I guess you couldn't be that guy for her after all, she always wanted me,' he laughed as they walked past him and out of the church._

_-x-_

'I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, BANKS!' Lucas shouted as he took in the surroundings before him. He wasn't at a church. He wasn't surrounded by hundreds of people. None of his friends were here. He must have been dreaming.

A uniformed man came out of nowhere after hearing his shrieks and looked at him with a confused frown.

'Who is Banks?' The man asked with a slightly accented voice.

'Who are you?' Lucas replied.

'You tell me.'

'I'm Lucas Scott, I'm an American writer sent on a project to write a piece on war in our world,' Lucas spoke cautiously.

'We don't believe you. Did you know you were caught on private, restricted land? You had no right to be there. So what were you really doing there, spying maybe?' The man abruptly leaned down in front of the chair Lucas was tied to and glared at him.

'I'm telling the truth. You want my I.D? I was with the infantry G-674; we were allowed access for our work. I'm just a writer,' Lucas gritted out.

'We'll see about that. Now could you please keep the shrieking to a minimum or I'll be forced to take action,' the man warned as he tightly rebound Lucas' wrists behind the chair Lucas was positioned on and walked away.

-x-

Lucas didn't know how long he sat alone in that dark dank place before he was visited again. It could have been hours, it could have been days, it was so incredibly dark that he had no clue as to how much time truly passed.

All he could think about was a certain curly haired girl, how not even a month in to his assignment and he'd already broken his promise.

A lurch from a heavy door brought him out of his thoughts as he saw two guards drag another prisoner in and bind him to a chair across from Lucas. Without a word they left and silence enveloped the dark chamber once again.

'Wyatt?'

'Luke.'

'What is going on? What day is it? Where are we?'

Wyatt looked down and clamped his eyes shut. He wasn't ready to explain to Lucas what a mess they had gotten into. He didn't mind himself, but Lucas wasn't trained for this type of situation and he knew it'd be extremely difficult for him.

'After you blacked out, the owners of the land, very forceful and powerful veterans from a nearby country's national government captured all of the ten men in our group and brought us here. It's a little secret fortress that is hidden deep in the mountains, undetected by well, most of the world,' Wyatt spoke quietly.

'They think we're American spies or something like I guessed. They don't believe any of our stories but they thankfully aren't being too demanding. They contacted the U.S government and are in strict negotiations right now. Neither side relenting. America thinks this is a hoax right now, or that they want ransom or whatever, while these guys believe we're out to exploit some top-secret information. It could be a long time before we see home again,' he sadly uttered.

'This can't be happening. God, I promised her!'

'Luke. Don't fret. At least we're still alive. You will see her again. I'll even get to meet her, you just have to stay positive.'

'I know, I know. So what do we do in the meantime?'

'We talk. We talk about wonderful things and try to forget where we are.'

'Right. Well I told you my past the other day, what about you? How'd you get into the military?'

The two slowly passed the time by explaining their lives to each other, learning every detail there was to know. All the while trying to forget where they were and how long they'd be stuck there.

-x-

Meanwhile, a whole world away hearts were soon to be breaking. Peyton was having a particularly great day. Mia Catalano, the successful first artist to be signed to Peyton's record company was bringing in much anticipated feedback. Her very recent release of her debut album was selling massively and was starting to climb the charts. Peyton had just set up a ten-city summer tour for her young artist and was very delighted. As she leaned back in her chair and sat down for the first time all day her cellphone went off and she rushed over to her purse to see her best friend's name lighting up the screen.

'Hey, best friend! I have really great news,' Peyton grinned as she opened her phone.

'Peyton, that's, that's great, but um you and me need to go somewhere right now. I'm on my way over and I'll explain in the car, and I don't mean to scare you, but something serious has come up,' Brooke quickly rambled off as she pulled up right outside of TRIC.

'Brooke, what do yo-'

'I'm outside right now, just come down, we have to go.'

Peyton hurriedly closed her phone, grabbed her things, and headed down to the parking lot where Brooke was waiting.

'Where are we going?' Peyton questioned as Brooke sped off right after Peyton climbed into her car.

'Naley's.'

'Why exactly?'

'They are waiting for us there, they have a large screen tv, and we have serious need to watch the national news.'

'Brooke what are you talking about? Are you alright?'

'Just trust me, you need to see this, and you'll be glad we're all together.'

Peyton was seriously confused, but she trusted Brooke. And she was quite anxious when they pulled up next to Nathan and Haley's house. Brooke didn't even bother to wait for her as she started rushing to the door, pulling Peyton along with her.

'Hey guys, that was quick,' Nathan uneasily smiled as he led them to where Haley was hunched over on the couch, her gaze never leaving the tv in front of her. Tears were streaming down her face and Peyton followed her eyes to the news channel that was on before all four of them.

At the sight of his face and name pasted on the screen she was now staring at herself, Peyton felt a strong hand hold her up and guide her to a seat next to Haley on the couch. Brooke sat down on the left side of Peyton and Nathan sat to the right of Haley. All four of them silently watched as horror filled their minds. Lucas' group was missing and reported captured after a misunderstanding. The U.S was in intense talks with a group claiming to have hold of the ten Americans. No one was technically dead, but they knew the situation could turn worse at any moment.

Peyton couldn't breathe, she couldn't form a coherent thought as her pulse seemed to race and before she could say a word she passed out falling slightly into Brooke's shocked position.

Brooke looked down at first thinking Peyton was leaning over for support, but soon understood that something wasn't right. In a moment Nathan had jumped up and pushed both Haley and Brooke off the couch as he sprawled Peyton across it.

'Hales, go grab some water and an ice bag. I think she's just passed out,' he stated as he stood above Peyton and took her wrist to find a pulse.

'Brooke, someone needs to inform Karen if she hasn't been informed already. It's probably best if done sooner than later.'

'Okay. Should I, would it be, what about Lindsey?' She asked nervously.

'Don't worry about that, I'll call her, just go talk to Karen and let her know she's welcome here.'

As Brooke left, he and Haley stayed in close range of Peyton's unconscious form watching patiently.

'Are you really going to call her?' Haley looked up at Nathan.

'No. She was probably one of the first ones to know considering she works at the company that is in charge of the whole program. Besides, she's not our main concern right now,' Nathan looked over at Haley who nodded and put her arm around his waist as they cast worried looks down towards the still unmoving Peyton.

-x-

Almost two weeks later was when the worst news came. The U.S government was declaring all searches for the missing party off; until new evidence came forward or more funds were put down to allow them to search. The negotiations had ended badly, neither side coming to an agreement. The American public was outraged and several protests went up through the nation to bring back home the ten missing men. The U.S told everyone to not give up hope, but for the time being they regarded all ten men as dead.

A service was held in Washington D.C that several thousands attended as the names of each man was called off and a bell rang. That was it. That was all they did. Nothing else was offered and Peyton felt as if her entire world was collapsing.

Even more surprisingly, while Nathan, Haley, Brooke, Peyton, Karen, and all of the Rivercourt guys sat watching the broadcasted event a marine in full uniform took the podium after the last expected speaker finished. Before any guards could stop him, he gained the cameras attention and sent an unexpected message to the crowd.

'My name is corporal Derek Summers. I've been in the military for over ten years now and have been on several deployments over seas. Never in my career have I seen such disrespect given to fallen comrades as has happened in the past two weeks. These aren't just members of our army that are missing, they are innocent civilians who have families back here, who don't have the training normal military personnel receive. They deserve better. Their families deserve better. And if you agree with that and want to not stop the search, my battalion and several other battalions have started up a fund and a growing task force to bring these men home. One of my best friends and a writer who I've come to love as a younger brother who saved my own sister's life numerous times are gone now and would be absolutely ashamed. They are still alive and we cannot, we will not stop searching for them till they are given their justice and brought back home. Thank you,' just as easily as he jumped on stage he was gone and was quickly rushing away to avoid the many officers who were chasing after him.

Everyone in Nathan and Haley's home sat on looking shocked and slightly hopeful. Peyton had no idea Derek would even be there. Or that he had done any of what he just stated. As if knowing how she was feeling, Nathan stood up walked over to her and pulled her in for a hug, letting her cry on his shoulder.

-x-

Lucas' family wasn't the only ones watching the broadcast. All ten of the missing men sat on watching as they were huddled together in a separate compound that had a large television.

'That a boy, Derek,' Wyatt grinned as he saw Derek jump on screen just as Lucas was turning away. Luke viewed the screen again and found himself smiling as he heard the familiar voice sound through the speakers.

After the broadcast was turned off and the men were taken in groups of two back to their separate holdings, Wyatt griped Lucas on the back and spoke.

'He really respects you don't forget that. Let's do him proud and get out of here.'

'Easier said then done,' Lucas replied as he was led back to the stiff chair and his limbs were retied. Wyatt was tied up across from him and they spent the remainder of their evening in silence.

A man came into their dark prison a few hours later and without a word repeatedly punched Luke in the face. Wyatt knew then, that after Derek's little declaration things were about to shift and life as a prisoner, was going to be much crueler.

'Do either of you personally know this Derek fellow?'

Neither said a word.

'I'll ask you politely one more time, do either of you personally know Derek Summers?' The rugged man questioned more firmly as he paced between the two men tied in chairs.

Nothing.

The man lunged at Lucas' helpless figure and slammed him and his chair against the closest concrete wall. He pounded Lucas forcefully into the wall several times until Luke was on the brink of losing consciousness.

'Leave him alone. Attack me, punish me, but don't hurt him. He's just a civilian,' Wyatt shouted at the man.

'No, he will keep on getting tortured if neither of you answer our questions. Always him. We don't care if he's a pathetic civilian or not. No talking, then torturing. That's the rules. This seems like enough for tonight. Good night gentlemen, we'll be back bright and early,' the uniformed man spat at Wyatt's face as he picked up Lucas' form and dragged him to be sitting across from Wyatt once again. Then he exited.

For the first time, Luke became furious. He became desperate. He became hopeless. And it had all only just begun.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Thanks to everyone who is sticking with this story. This is a shorter update and it's sort of a filler chapter, but the next update will make up for it. I promise.

Like usual, I don't own anything One Tree Hill related. Reviews are always lovely. Enjoy.

Chapter 3:

Peyton had been living in Los Angeles for over a month now. She had found a small suitable apartment and was easily able to start up a branch of Red Bedroom Records not too far from where she lived.

Moving was the right thing to do. It was hard, but she knew it would be for the best and she didn't want to have to see the looks on Nathan and Haley's face when they found out she had gotten pregnant with Lucas' child while he was still engaged to Lindsey. That was another reason she couldn't stay. Lindsey couldn't find out, for the time being that was. Peyton wasn't ready to face the world yet with the secrets she kept.

And Lucas. She didn't even want to start to think about how he would feel about the whole situation. Would he be mad, would he be disappointed, would he even be happy? Lucas wasn't the type of person to not want to be apart of his child's life, but she wondered what this would mean for the two of them, that was if he even came back home.

It would have just been too much to stay in Tree Hill.

Mia was totally onboard with the whole move. She even bought her own apartment close to Peyton's. The two spent a lot of time together, working to open up the new branch while still maintaining control of the main office back in Tree Hill.

'So you planning on staying here permanently?' Mia asked as she opened a packaged box of CDs.

'For the time being, yeah I suppose. I'll go back every once in awhile, but for now it's permanent,' Peyton responded not glancing up from her computer screen.

'You think we'll be able to handle all of this,' Mia smiled as she gestured her hands out in front of her.

'Easily. Between the two of us and Hayley taking over things occasionally back home, we should be great,' Peyton genuinely smiled thinking back to how thankful she was for Haley asking to step up.

'I'm starting to like this move more and more each day. There are so, so many cute guys here,' Mia quipped.

'That's a shame, because you will be so very busily working with your gracious and lovable producer,' Peyton smirked.

'You're lucky I totally don't hate you.'

As Peyton went to unpack a box leaning against the farthest wall in their studio, a sharp pain in her side took her by surprise. She stumbled forward, causing Mia to rush over.

'Hey, hey. Are you okay?'

'Yeah. Yeah, I guess I'm just clumsy,' Peyton feigned a smile, one that didn't go unnoticed by Mia but she figured now wasn't the time to call her out on it.

-x-

'Hales, I got it,' Nathan yelled down the hallway as he went to open their front door.

'Nathan,' the man that stood before Nathan held his hand out and looked up expectantly.

'Derek, uh come on in. What are you doing here?' Nate shook his hand, slightly confused why he was standing on his doorstep.

'Actually, I was looking for Peyton. You guys wouldn't happen to know where she's at?'

'I'm afraid you're about a month late. She moved back out to Los Angeles, even started up a new branch of her record company there.'

'Oh, wow. Did you guys see the service they held in Washington?'

'Yeah we were all gathered here watching it together. I must say we were all shocked to see you. It helped her though, you know? Gave her and all of us a sense of hope.'

Derek solemnly nodded before he continued on. 'So did she say exactly why she left, or if she knew how long she'd be away?'

'Brooke told us that she just couldn't stay here, too many bad memories wrapped up in this town. I think she just wanted to get away and try to start over. Other than that we haven't heard much. I'm not really sure how long she'll be gone, but I doubt she'll be heading back here anytime soon.'

'Nathan, who was that at the door, oh, oh Derek. Hey,' Haley drifted off as she saw the man standing a few feet away from Nathan. She ran over and gave him a quick hug.

'Not that we don't love seeing you, but what are you doing here?' She asked.

'Well seeing Peyton isn't in town; I guess I'll just tell you two instead. It would probably be too much for her to take in anyways. You should probably sit down first.'

They did as asked and led Derek into their kitchen as Haley poured three glasses of water for each of them.

'So you guys know how I mentioned how we had a fund set up, well a huge donation just came in. It was anonymous of course, but well it was several millions. After we received it, we set up a plan of extraction. It will take months most likely to pinpoint the location of where Luke and the nine others are, but if we are successful in doing that, and they aren't moved before then we will be able to go in and hopefully complete a safe rescue. This is all just speculation and it will be a long time before we can even begin to get close, but we have the funds. It's an extremely covert mission, the government will shut us down if they find out, and I need you guys to keep quiet. You won't hear any of this on the news or anywhere, only those involved know what is going on, that way we can't alert the captors,' Derek explained.

'Wow. Do you guys have any idea who sent in the money?' Nathan questioned as he tried to wrap his mind around all the information he'd just been served.

'Not a clue, most likely someone famous or political. We were stunned ourselves, but thankful nonetheless. This allows us to no longer have to advertise for funds and will let us go about more confidentially.'

'Do you plan on telling Peyton then?' This time Haley spoke up.

'Originally yeah I was going to, but now that she's gone and trying to cope it's probably best if we don't tell her and spare her the heartache,' he shook his head then continued on. 'I really trust you guys, but you can't tell a soul. Not Brooke, not your son, and not even Karen although I hate to keep this from her.'

'We won't Derek. You can trust us,' Nathan stated as he and Haley both smiled at him.

'Well I have a meeting to get to. It was nice to see you both again. If you ever want to bring Jamie out to the base give me a ring, I'd love to show him around,' Derek stood and hugged them both before heading on his way.

After he left Haley crumpled into Nathan's arms and let out a muffled sob. 'Do you think he's still alive? I miss him so much Nate.'

'I know he is Hales. And Derek is going to find him, he won't stop till he does,' Nathan's firm voice sounded out and he held Haley a little tighter. He was just as scared as she was, and Derek's little impromptu visit was the only hope he had left.

-x-

_He was standing in the middle of an empty cemetery. There was no wind, there were no leaves scattering around. It wasn't just any cemetery though; he'd been to this one on several occasions. _

_His legs began walking, gliding him forward. The names on various headstones flashed before his eyes until suddenly he was stopped a few feet in front of where his late uncle rested. Keith Scott the slab read. A lone bouquet of lilies lay beneath those words. _

_As he kneeled, he felt a presence behind him and slowly turned around. She was in ripped jeans and her leather jacket was pulled tightly around her. She looked as if she had been crying for some time and her makeup was slightly running._

_He wanted to pull her into his arms, he wanted to whisper that everything would be okay in her ear, he wanted to let her rest her head on his shoulder and comfort her in any way he could. When he went to reach out to her though, his arm simply caught a handful of air. _

_Why did his conscience have to torture him so much? _

_Peyton began walking away and sat down at a tombstone that he didn't recognize. As he neared her, he felt his breath catch in his throat. This couldn't be happening again. He'd had this dream once, senior year, right after the state championship when he had his heart attack. Something about this didn't feel the same though; it felt as if it were more real._

'_I miss you, but I know you're still out there somewhere. You're still alive. You promised remember,' her voice rose as she fought an onslaught of tears._

'_I'm still here,' he softly replied knowing it would just go unheard. His heart was tearing at the sight of her, it was too much for him to witness. _

_And in the blink of an eye, she all but vanished leaving Lucas puzzled. He slowly walked over to where she was just sitting and picked up what she'd left on the ground. It was a sketch, a sketch he'd seen before. 'People always leave,' it read and his face was staring back at him inside three lights of a stoplight. He turned it over and noticed the few words scribbled in beautiful handwriting. _

'_You promised me.' _

_He felt a pounding in his chest and stumbled back a few paces. Once again everything in front of him was whirling, the ground started to flash until he was stopped and the scene in front of him was far different. _

_Peyton was walking into an empty grave. No one was around. It was just Lucas and Peyton. Like it had always been._

_She started to fill the hole around her, pushing dirt between her own legs, not paying any attention to Lucas who was frozen to where he stood. _

'_You couldn't save me. You couldn't save me. You never came back, you never showed up. You couldn't save me,' she sang in a high-pitched shaky, mocking voice._

_The hole was now half way full and her chants grew louder and louder. 'You never saved me. All you ever did was hurt me. You couldn't save me, you couldn't save me.'_

_He couldn't take this. He just wanted to wake up. He forced his hands to cover his ears, but that just made her voice screech to an uneven unbearable tone. The hole was all the way filled by now and he couldn't see her, but that voice kept screaming at him._

'_You couldn't save me. You couldn't save me. You never should have saved me. You never cared about me. You never cared about me. YOU NEVER EVER CARED ABOUT ME!'_

With a start he felt himself jolt awake. He was panting heavily and the front of his shirt was drenched in sweat. That voice continued to haunt his mind.

Wyatt was staring at him. He didn't know what he just experienced, but he'd never seen anyone flail and hyperventilate as much as Lucas had while being asleep. The last month had been terribly gruesome for the both of them, but Lucas was getting the worse end of the torture.

Their captors were becoming more and more hostile and were finding new ways each day on how to make their hostages suffer the most. It was to the point where they dug up information on each man being held and used what they could against them. Last night, one man had settled himself directly in front of Lucas and started reading specific passages from his book over and over. Lucas clamped his eyes shut after only a few minutes and he became utterly livid. Wyatt wanted to attack the man, but he was forced to stay in his place.

So he had watched on silently knowing how furious Lucas was, but at the same time he was intrigued to finally hear the words Lucas had written. It made him understand a little better the bruised and broken man he'd shared a cell with for almost two months.

After what seemed like hours, the man rose and turned to exit but stopped before opening the door. 'It's a tragedy really; the first time I read it I was rooting for Peyton and Lucas to end up together. I was disappointed though because you never fought for her, like she deserved. Like a real man would have. It's too bad you'll never get the chance now, now that you'll never see her again. The best love stories end with desperate pain and irreversible regrets. So I guess, you didn't fail at everything, that part you'll have perfected,' he sneered then left the room.

-x-

Over the past week, Mia started to notice strange behavior from Peyton and she was starting to get worried. Peyton had been sick a few times and seemed to have constant mood swings. Mia couldn't understand it, and she finally decided to approach her about.

'Hey, how are you feeling?' Mia nonchalantly asked as she strolled into the studio around 11 a.m.

'Fine. Good, I guess. Why?' Peyton looked over at her with a questioning glance.

'You've just seemed off this past week,' Mia shrugged.

'Everything's fine, don't worry about it,' Peyton answered far too quickly which let Mia know her assumptions were right. She may not have known Peyton Sawyer for a long time, but she was starting to know how to read her, and that response was a major indicator that things were definitely not fine.

'Peyton. You can talk to me, what's going on? I'm worried about you,' she strode over to where Peyton was seated and sat down across from her.

'It's nothing Mia,' Peyton sternly responded.

'Peyton.'

'No,-' Peyton stopped talking as soon as she had started and placed her hands onto her side as she winced a little. She still wasn't used to the frequent side pains she'd been experiencing.

'Peyton, you can tell me. We're partners, we're friends. I'm not just here for the album and the weather, I'm here for you.'

'I know, and I'm sorry. It's just, it's just,'

'It's what?'

'I'm pregnant, Mia. Only Brooke knows. And to be honest, it's the real reason I came back out here in the first place,' she hoarsely stated as she felt the beginning of tears to form in her green orbs. Every time she thought about her pregnancy or her move out to Los Angeles, she was brought back to him. And thinking about him made her miss him more, which in turn caused all the sadness she had tried to lock away, spring back into the open.

'Oh, hey don't cry. It'll be all right. I won't tell a soul and we can get through this together. No matter what you can rely on me,' Mia declared.

-x-

Two months is a long time. 60 days. 1,440 hours. 86,400 minutes. Especially if you're forced to spend a majority of that time locked up against your own will.

Lucas Scott was still breathing, still living though. Still drowning in self-depreciating thoughts brought on by several nameless tormentors. They no longer had to torture him though because once they left, he was still trapped in his own mind, his mind that loved to mock and clobber him.

As he started to realize all the mistakes he'd made he began to hope that he'd never have to return home, that he'd never have the chance to disappoint all those around him any longer. None of the people who were in his life before he left for this failed trip deserved who he'd been. They deserved better. And if he was to make it home, that's what they'd receive. His stubbornness was so pointless; his denial of his own feelings was stupid.

His impatience though, was what ultimately caused him to lose the only thing that ever truly mattered to him. And now, now all hope was thrown out the window. All the memories and pain and hurt were for nothing. He was going to die here. He knew he was. He was going to die broken and lonely and hopeless. Their words were starting to leave an impact on his brain; everyday they seemed to be a little more realistic to the point that he accepted it as his inevitable truth.

He was a worthless horrible man. He was never going to step foot back in that beloved hometown of his and he most certainly wasn't going to see his true love again. Ever. They spat these constant reminders at him daily.

'Luke snap out of it. They are just trying to break you. You can't let them brainwash you. You can't let them win. You have to fight, you have to fight for her because she is still out there somewhere and deep down you and I both know that she loves you.

It's always going to be there Luke, remember?' Wyatt exclaimed after listening to Lucas incoherently sputter their words over and over out loud for the past half hour or so.

'What if they're right though, do you really think we're ever going to see daylight again? I've treated so many people so horribly these past few years; I've become someone I don't even know. It's better off if I never go back, spare everyone the heart ache and pain I'll just end up causing them.'

'So you've made mistakes, we all have. At least you've been able to come to terms with those mistakes, and you now have the opportunity to go back and fix them. You're family needs you and would be angry to hear that you think they'd be better off without you.'

'And what opportunity are you talking about? Being bound and knocked unconscious daily in some far away dungeon isn't much of an opportunity. We're doomed, Wyatt. Do you see anyone trying to break down these walls and bring us to safety? Our own government gave up the search only after two weeks of us being missing. So much for returning home,' Lucas bitterly retorted.

There would be no returning home in Lucas' mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: What the heck, why not put up another update. The first few chapters have been sort of dry and after this one, things will start to pick up.**

**Hopefully this doesn't disappoint and thank you to everyone who's sticking with this story. Reviews are always appreciated.**

**I own nothing. Nothing at all.**

Chapter 4:

Work became a great distraction for Peyton. Her pregnancy was on schedule and she felt no longer as burdened as she had in the weeks following Lucas' funeral. She had quickly discovered that running both branches wasn't as much as a hassle as she had anticipated and Haley was handling things great.

To top it all off, Mia was becoming a rising star across the nation, which in turn led to more business for Red Bedroom Records. Artists were sending numerous amounts of demos at Peyton. It was extremely overwhelming for her, but she wasn't complaining.

After a local fan signing for Mia at a mall, Peyton had returned to her office to listen to some more mix tapes and hopefully find her next star. Of everything she'd heard, nothing was sticking out, nothing was speaking to her. As she absently stuck in a new disc into her player and waited for the track to start, she felt a small kick in her stomach and smiled.

She was pregnant, she was going to be a mother, and she was going to have Lucas Scott's child. That thought alone warmed her heart and depressed her at the same time. He was always lurking in the back of her mind, no matter what she was doing or where she was at, he had found a way to make himself visible and she knew that was how it was going to be for the rest of time. And she wished it were different because she missed him so much and the ache in her heart never seemed to fade, but only grow more in size.

She was broken from her thoughts when she suddenly heard a familiar voice, a voice she hadn't heard in several years. Jumping up she ran over to her stereo and briskly threw the CD player open to glance at the writing on the disc. It read just as she expected and she ran back over to her desk to dial the number left in the case. She couldn't believe it. Only a few seconds of that voice had her jumping for joy, and she knew things were truly about to pick up.

* * *

'Wyatt Hensley and Lucas Scott, what a pleasure to see you both,' a stout man with dark hair and dark eyes greeted menacingly as he appeared before the two hunched forms.

They looked at each other for less then a second as soon as he had spoke and just as quickly were sending the man staggering death stares.

'Ah, the silent treatment, the only true freedom you still could possibly possess. Let's play a little game though, it requires you to speak, and guessing from how desolate it is down here, I'm sure it'll result in entertaining you for a while,' the man flashed them a smarmy smile as he sat himself a few feet from the two, positioned so both men could see him easily.

'Cut the crap. We've dealt with enough of your little games these past six months. Why are you here?' Wyatt spoke up first, anxious as to what this man intended on doing to them.

'Let me guess, you're the marine and your little blonde haired girlfriend over there is the writer?' The man mocked.

'What do you want?' Lucas finally asked after no longer being able to hold in his anger.

'Wow, he actually speaks.'

Silence. Both Wyatt and Luke glared with stony faces.

'I'm here to give you, let's say, a makeover,' the man stood up abruptly revealing a suitcase as he kneeled down and searched through it.

He steadily pulled out an electric razor and two towels, placing one around each man's neck. 'We really can't have our adorable, innocent prisoners looking like ravaging maniacs,' he sarcastically droned.

He then moved in front of Lucas and placed a small mirror in his hands. For the first time in months, Luke was able to take in his own appearance and he felt tears springing in the back of his eyes knowing full well this could be the last time he ever peered into a mirror.

He was surprised at how ragged he did look. His hair was growing in random tufts, it's natural color seemed darker. His eyes were bloodshot and had excessive bags under them as several bruise marks appeared below both eyelids. A large gash tore his lower right cheek and a mixture of dirt, blood, and sweat seemed to cover his entire face. A beard had grown where stubble had been and it was matted in several spots.

The buzz of the razor made him tear his gaze away from the mirror as he quickly noticed the man approaching him. He felt the blades glide across his scalp and was thankful that they were at least giving him this.

After so long all the hair that was on his head now laid on the ground at Lucas' feet and his beard no longer existed. He felt lighter. Why would they even care to do this, why would these men who were so harsh and dementing waste their time so carefully about giving haircuts?

The man begun shaving off Wyatt's dark short hair and then meticulously swept the place clean. He sighed and then worked up the courage to complete his next required task.

He wasn't an evil man, he wasn't. He knew of the two prisoners sitting before him and he respected them more than he would let on. A job was a job though and if he didn't do it, he'd be the one tied to the chair and continually attacked.

He left the room and was back just as quickly carrying a small basin filled with water. He then grabbed a towel and scrubbed both their faces. This part wasn't required of him, but the man felt it was the least he could do for them.

Once again he exited and returned a full five minutes later with a medical kit. Pulling on a pair of gloves, he opened the kit and revealed two syringes already filled with injections. He forcefully grabbed Lucas' right shoulder and inserted the syringe without saying a word, before turning and doing the same to Wyatt. In three minutes both men were knocked out.

He then began to take blood samples from both of the prisoners that the captors insisted on having and had initially hired him for, as he was the only person within fifty miles who was a medically trained physician. What they needed the samples for was unknown to him, but with the blood drawn he only had one more thing to do.

In the bottom of the kit were two pairs of handcuffs and a knife. He used the knife to untie the ropes that bound both Lucas and Wyatt's feet and arms to the metal chairs they were now slouched over in. Using all his strength he first lifted Wyatt up and handcuffed him to a small grate that was located in the floor near the far right corner of the darkened cell. Next, he carried Lucas to the opposite corner and handcuffed him with both Lucas' hands held above his head to a vent that was connected to the side of a wall. The physician knew this was a horrible state to leave the man in after just taking a blood sample, but he had no other choice.

With quick haste, the doctor pulled off his gloves, placed the vials of blood securely in the medical kit, retrieved all his materials and left the place for a final time. His work was done, but the guilt that would follow him was just starting to begin.

* * *

She really couldn't believe it. After talking with him on the phone for over an hour, he had agreed to come down and sign onto her label. He said he'd hop on a plane and be over around ten the next morning. That was Tuesday. Today was Wednesday and any moment now he'd be arriving. She hadn't felt so giddy in years.

He on the other hand was a nervous wreck. Sitting through a several hour long plane ride and then trying to find an available hotel room in Los Angeles with no reservations had him stressed out enough, but being face to face with Peyton Sawyer after not seeing her in years seemed far worse.

He unsteadily pulled the glass door open to Red Bedroom Records and walked down a short hall to be greeted by a young receptionist.

'I'm here to see uh, Peyton Sawyer. We talked on the phone yesterday and she was interested in signing me.'

'Of course, she's been expecting you. Follow me,' the girl stood and began walking down another short hallway before stopping in front of a door that had the words 'record exec' printed across it.

The girl smiled at him timidly after she knocked on the door and walked back to her desk.

After a few moments he walked in and found himself staring into the eyes of an aged Peyton. He thought she looked even more beautiful and he was so proud to see how successful she was doing.

'Long time no see,' he smirked as he walked towards the desk she was sitting at.

'Jagielski. Or should I say next upcoming solo artist whose going to bring even more attention to my already small little label,' she smiled as she rushed over and pulled him in for a hug.

'Are you sure the demo you got was mine because I'm fairly certain it wasn't that spectacular that you'd be making such huge statements.'

'Jake, it was great and you are seriously talented and I'm going to make you known to the world so they can be just as inspired from you as I am,' she smiled as she sat back down and he sat across from her.

'And I'm not just saying that because I know you, I take this business seriously,' she continued on before he could say a word.

'I do know that and that's why I sent my demo to you. I knew you'd be the one to honestly tell me whether it sucked or it didn't suck and I'm glad it's the latter.'

'I'm glad too,' she joked.

'So big-time small label record executive, how's life going for you?'

'A few months ago, I probably would have said that things were awful, but now everything is pretty good. The label is doing fantastic, moving out here wasn't too hard to get adjusted to, and now I get to make an amazing record with an old friend and a new one,' she simply spoke as she unconsciously looked down at her expanded stomach.

'Wow, you're pregnant, that's great Peyton. For someone as far along as you, I didn't even notice until now. When are you due?' Jake asked slightly intrigued, he always knew Peyton would make a great mother he just had absolutely no idea that she was pregnant.

'It's predicted at about two months from now. He's been a blessing; I don't know how I would've continued on after all that happened without him.'

They sat there for a while and caught up on each other's lives and all that they had missed. They then went out to lunch and enjoyed the afternoon.

Jake had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he held his tongue. He'd heard about the whole Lucas Scott situation and could see how much it had affected Peyton although she was successfully masking it, but he saw a pain in the back of her eyes that he hadn't seen once since he met her back when they were just 17. He really wanted to know who the father of her unborn child was, but he figured in time she'd tell him.

He also realized how alone she was out here all by herself being only a few short months from giving birth. He made it his responsibility that day to be there for her, to help her get through it as he'd gone through it once before and he knew that she wouldn't be able to do it completely alone, no matter how hard she would try, and he knew that she would try. She was stubborn as hell.

* * *

He opened his eyes. He felt a numbing pain in the inside of his right forearm and his wrists felt raw. When he made to move them, he realized he couldn't. They were chained above his head and his feet were slightly off the ground, but still making contact with the concrete all the same.

He then also realized his shoes were gone and his feet were bare. They were chilling to the iciness of the cold concrete and he never felt so physically exhausted in his whole life.

He looked again and his shoes weren't the only things missing. His shirt was wadded in a ball a few feet away laying next to his meshed, worn down jeans. He was left in just his boxers and he felt extremely vulnerable.

'Wyatt?' Lucas choked out.

No answer.

'Wyatt?' Lucas questioned louder.

'Luke, just shut up. They're coming for you next and it'll just be worse if they see you talking to me. Just be quiet,' Wyatt whispered and Lucas sensed a trace of fear lurking in Wyatt's words. Hensley was never one to express fear, through all the torture and time they'd spent together Lucas had not once found Wyatt to show emotions, especially those of negativity.

Just then three men came in through the door with a black rag and shoved it into Lucas' throat, gagging him. He remained silent as they hauled Wyatt out and then came back to stand in front of him.

For a while they just stared, not saying a word, not moving a muscle, they just stared at him. One man broke the silence after so long and turned Lucas around so his back faced them and his eyes faced the wall. A different man spat onto his back and uttered a string of foreign curses before ripping his only remaining piece of clothing off.

The third man retrieved a belt and looked at the other two men before taking his aim and sending it lashing across Lucas' back, cutting into his flesh.

He wanted nothing more than to scream, to hide, to just die then have to experience this. The gag held back his sobs and tears clouded his vision.

A moment later he felt the stinging, cutting edge of the belt sink itself into his skin once more. And then again, and again, and after being lashed at least 15 times, the belt was put away.

They turned him around and they just continued to stare. Blood was seeping down his back and legs. 'What a pathetic, incompetent excuse for a human being,' the tallest of the three spoke.

His next move surprised Lucas entirely. The man was reaching up and undoing the handcuffs that held him to the vent and then started to push Lucas to the middle of the room. He finally pulled the cloth from Lucas' mouth.

'You want your clothes back, you need water, and you need food. You can have all those things if and only if you can beat me in a wrestling match. Pin me down for three seconds, and all those things can be yours. You don't even have to worry about cheating, my two men here will serve as refs,' the tall man stated as he pointed at the other two guys.

Lucas didn't say a word and he didn't even blink. He was sick of their games, sick of them using him as a source of entertainment. This man though was in for a shock. Lucas had wrestled when he was in grade school, he wasn't good but he knew all the quickest ways to get that coveted pin and if it meant food and water and his clothes, he wouldn't let this man make a fool of him. After a few minutes he slowly nodded and the man grinned widely.

One of the other men stepped up and drew an eight-foot wide circle with a piece of chalk before backing up.

'No real rules here, to win it's a three second pin that's counted out loud by one of the two refs. Try to stay in the circle, and try not to lose,' he smirked as he placed his hand in front of him.

Hesitantly Lucas shook it and then they stood on the edge of the circle. One of the men said go, and the tall man came surging at Lucas full on. Lucas sidestepped his attack and caught the man around the waist by surprise. With an unknown amount of energy, Lucas turned the man around while he was still in mid-run and slammed him into the ground with all the strength he could muster. The open wounds on his back ached so much and he felt like dying, but he was at the end of his rope and the only pride he had left waited on the outcome of this little stupid game.

The man's skull made a loud cracking sound as it came into contact with the ground below and Lucas immediately pinned him to the ground, waiting as the three seconds were called and he was declared to have won. He promptly pulled his boxers and jeans back on as the other two men were trying to force their fallen friend up.

They decided to carry him out after realizing he was knocked out cold and they left suddenly. Lucas was left unbound for the first time in his entire time as a prisoner and he was glad, being tied to a chair would only aide in more pain to his already throbbing back. Wyatt was soon thrown into the room with him also unbound and he winced after seeing a glimpse of what they'd done to Lucas.

'What happened?' Wyatt sputtered.

'They whipped me while I was completely naked and then some man challenged me to wrestle him and they promised to give me my clothes back, and so I did and I won and also probably gave the guy a concussion and then they just left,' Lucas recalled.

'Oh, from what I saw, that was no concussion. That guy was seriously injured,' Wyatt stated proud that Lucas got his fair share of retaliation but also fearful for what consequences that would lead to.

Luke went to sit next to the wall and he tried to think of anything to keep his mind from thinking about the indescribable pain that riddled through his entire back. Like always, his mind drew him back to Peyton.

Peyton Sawyer was the only person in this world who had ever fully understood him. Peyton Sawyer was the girl he was supposed to marry and have children with and live happily ever after with. Peyton Sawyer was supposed to be his forever, not a mass of regrets and blind decisions. Now Peyton Sawyer could only be his fantasy, he wouldn't ever be able to save her again because he was in the position where he couldn't even save himself, no matter how much he prayed or hoped or wished.

Slowly he felt himself drift off to sleep. Sleep was the only connection he had to her, sleep was the only thing he lived for now.

* * *

'So let me get this straight. You and Jake Jagielski, as in Peyton's ex boyfriend who Peyton almost married after running off to Savannah, that Jake Jagielski and you are making a record together?' Brooke asked amused as she continued flipping through her magazine while balancing her cellphone on her shoulder.

'He signed onto the label today. I'm so excited. It's nice that someone I know is out here especially now with the due date coming up,' Peyton sweetly smiled as she placed her hands on her stomach.

'I'm glad too. I won't have to worry as much about your scrawny ass, but I'm still going to anyway.'

'I really appreciate that Brooke, you know I'd love to have you here but I hate to take you from your work and everyone might be suspicious as to why you've been gone for so long.'

'I know I just really miss you. After the pregnancy though, the first break I get, I'm coming straight to you.'

'Can't wait,' Peyton chuckled at Brooke's overly stern tone.

'So have you exactly filled in your newest rock star on the whole baby situation, like oh I don't know, who the father is?'

'He's only been here for two days Brooke. Eventually I will tell him, but for the time being he's alright with not knowing.'

'Peyton, what happens when he suddenly starts to fall in love with you and then you find yourself at the point of no return where you don't want to hurt his feelings because deep down we all know you won't fully ever get over Lucas and then what if you do develop feelings for him, but you feel as if you're betraying other said man and-' Brooke rambled on and broke off when Peyton's voice suddenly cut in.

'Brooke, slow down there, Jake's not going to just suddenly fall in love with me.'

'Oh please, P. Sawyer. The last time you saw the poor guy he told you to follow your heart and if it didn't work out he'd still be there waiting. What if he sees it like that, like this is you not having things work out because you're pregnant with no father in the picture and this is you calling him back.'

'Brooke-'

'No Peyton, you have to tell him and you have to tell him soon. It's not like he's going to judge you, he doesn't know the full story and he doesn't have to. This will be best for you all in the long run, trust me.'

'I know. I know. I'm just still sensitive around the whole Lucas subject and just hearing his name makes me want to break down and cry,' Peyton quietly spoke as she started to feel her orbs watering after saying his name.

'Hey honey, listen to me. Of all people, Jake is going to understand and he's going to respect your wishes. You just need to tell him so he can help you through it. It will be hard, but once you let it all out it can only get better from there. I'm always a phone call away too. Don't forget that.'

'Thanks Brooke, your right and I will tell him. I really do miss you B. Davis you're the best. I have to run, I'll talk to you tomorrow,' Peyton set the phone down and then went back to her apartment for the night with a million thoughts on her mind.

After much pacing and much contemplation, she gathered her courage and called Jake. She told him the truth, she was honest with him, and just as Brooke had said he understood and he was quite grateful to hear that it was Lucas' child and not some random guy she met one night. They talked for hours afterwards and almost all her doubts were vanished by the time she hung up.

And this was why; this was why she was best friends with Brooke Davis. Brooke Davis had amazing intuition.

* * *

This house was one she hadn't visited in a little over seven months. To be precise, she hadn't been here since two nights before Lucas left for his assignment.

It was just as she remembered, except for the fact that it was ghostly eerie. She was in Tree Hill for a few days to collect the last remaining things from his house and then was headed back to New York where she now lived.

It really didn't take as long as she expected. She opened the few drawers that held a few shirts and pants of hers and then grabbed a few pictures from atop the dresser. She scanned the room over one more time before making to exit. As she passed his bed and made to walk back into the hallway, something on his desk grabbed her attention.

It was a regular envelope with his name written neatly on the front. It was unopened and curiosity got the best of Lindsey Strauss. She pulled out his desk chair, sat herself down, and then ripped the envelope open without thinking.

It was a letter. Lindsey barely started reading before becoming shocked at the words in front of her and stormed out of the house not even having read everything the author wrote.

To say she was seething would be an understatement; she was a stalking outline of excessive rage mixed with deflated resentment and a sliver of disgust.

And she was the person, the person who always got revenge.


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Little bit of a time jump here, by a few months, but essential for the story of course. __Enjoy._

Chapter 5:

Peyton Sawyer was pregnant and was expected to be due within a week and she was ecstatic. As much as she loved carrying her child around, nine months was a long time and she couldn't take another day of being pregnant.

'The doctor said bed rest for the next few days until the time comes that we have to go back. That means you are not to leave this couch for anything, no matter what,' Jake sternly warned as he cautiously walked her over to the couch in her apartment.

'I will. I will. How many times do I have to tell all you people that before you believe me?' Peyton snapped back.

The doctor had told her numerous times that she wasn't to over do it and Jake hadn't stopped saying it since they got in his car and proceeded to drive back to her place.

'Maybe because we all know how stubborn you are and how you love to be independent that we don't trust your constant naggings,' Jake smiled over at her as he sat down next to her.

'You know I really appreciate all of this Jake, but you don't have to stay here. I'll be okay and call you when it happens.'

'I suppose I can't keep you under my watch 24/7. I'll come check up on you two times daily and if you need anything-just call. Mia and I will be able to handle the label for the time being and the nursery is all complete. So you have absolutely no reason to worry or stress seeing as stress is not good at a time like this. No stressing. Don't over do it either.'

'I'll be alright Jake, just go already,' she playfully shoved him as he stood to leave.

'Take care Sawyer.'

After he left Peyton sunk into the couch and flipped the television on. This next week was going to be long and monotonous. She wasn't one to just sit cooped up inside all day and do nothing.

Hoping to find something that would keep her occupied she dug out an old photo album from the back of her closest and went to lay back down on the couch. As she was flipping through the pages she came upon a photo she hadn't seen in years and her breath caught in her throat as memories from that day came floating into perspective.

_~Flashback~_

_It was their senior year, a few weeks before graduation. It was a warm Saturday night and Peyton and Lucas had decided to spend it at the beach. They drove the Comet all through town listening to a new album that Peyton wanted to hear before driving to the sandy coastline._

'_Race you to our spot?' Lucas smirked after she turned the ignition off and peered over at him. _

'_You are so on. On three?' She smiled back at him._

'_Deal.'_

'_One..' Peyton started counting._

'_Two..' Lucas responded. _

_Before he could say another word she was out the door running down the beach shouting 'three' extremely loud. He shook his head as he sprinted after her. As he reached her he placed his arms around her waist, spun her around, and threw her over his shoulder, her squealing and swatting at him all the while._

'_That was so not fair,' he exclaimed as he carried her the rest of the way to their usual spot and sat them both down._

'_Let me make it up to you,' she winked at him as she slowly leaned in and brushed her lips against his. She ran her tongue over his bottom lip and soon he was slipping his own tongue into her mouth._

'_I lied. That was so fair,' he sputtered as they broke apart to breathe. _

'_Hmm. That's what I thought,' she leaned back in._

_As soon as her lips were on his he placed his hands on her hips and gently rolled them so he was on top of her. _

_She let out a noise he loved hearing when her back found the sand and her arms instantly locked around his neck. He moved down to her neck and starting kissing the spot she loved. _

_He found himself slowly moving his mouth across her collarbone as his hands slipped under her shirt and ran across her stomach. He didn't move to take off her clothing considering they were at the beach, but that didn't mean he hadn't wanted to. _

_She brought his face back up to hers and kissed him fervently as his hands roamed along the inside of her thighs. He moved his mouth back to her neck and slowly rubbed two fingers against her as her nails dug into his back._

'_Luke..we..can't…here,' she rasped off as his fingers continued to tease her._

_He stopped then and gazed into her eyes. She was beautiful, she was more than beautiful and she was all his. They'd only been back together for a few weeks now, but those weeks had been amazing and he couldn't understand how he'd gone without her so long, or how he even let her get away in the first place._

_He wouldn't do that again. Ever. Peyton Sawyer was the only girl for him and that's how it would always be._

'_You're just so beautiful,' he whispered in her ear, continuing to torture her letting his hands roam down her sides._

'_Luke, we can't be doing this,' she forced out even though she wouldn't mind if he ripped off all her clothes and took her right there. He was just so perfect and the way the wind was blowing his hair and his shirt was unbuttoned so she could see his toned chest was turning her on, but this really wasn't the place. _

'_I know, I know,' he said disappointed as he removed his hands and rolled to the side, lying next to her. She automatically curled into his side and he wrapped his arms around her. _

'_It's so beautiful out here,' she responded in awe as she peered across the rolling waves in front of them. _

'_Yeah, I'm glad we came,' he looked down at her, placing a kiss on her forehead._

_For a while they just sat there curled up next to one another gazing at the world around them. This was perfect and his arms holding her securely were perfect. She grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers. _

_He noticed the slight goose bumps forming on her forearms and shrugged his light jacket off to place it around her shoulders. She blushed and cupped his face before speaking._

'_I love you. I love you so much,' she whispered gently glancing into his blue eyes._

'_I love you too, and I always will. Always,' he rested his forehead against hers before he passionately kissed her, his thumb stroking across her cheek. _

'_Don't ever leave me,' she seriously stated after she pulled away from his kiss. _

_That thought alone scared her to death and she didn't want to have to ever imagine a world without Lucas Scott. _

'_I would never,' he responded as he held her a little tighter and pulled her a little closer. _

_They laid like that the rest of the night and watched the sun peak over the horizon together in the morning before leaving the beach. _

_~End Flashback~_

The photo that had been taken was of them together on the beach after they'd first arrived. He was kissing her cheek and staring into her eyes and she had a huge smile on her face as she sat between his legs.

Thinking back to that night was painful. She started to remember how happy they both were together, how in love she felt, how she hadn't felt like that in years, and how his words then seemed to contradict everything he'd go on to do.

He left her, unlike how he said he wouldn't. He told her he'd love her forever, but over a year ago he'd engaged himself to another woman and told Peyton that he didn't love her anymore. And now he was gone, gone when she needed him most.

She had always imagined that when she became pregnant, it would be with Lucas' child and he'd be by her side every step of the way. He'd take care of her, he'd help her choose names and help build the nursery and he'd go out in the middle of the night to find that tub of ice cream she so urgently craved. And they would be married and they lived together and they'd be so happy.

None of that was going to happen. She desperately wanted to go back to being that carefree 18-year-old girl and tell her to never fall for him. She wouldn't be as miserable, she wouldn't have to carry the constant ache in her heart, and she wouldn't be holding on hope for a man she knew she'd most likely never see again in her life. A man her child wouldn't get to see either.

As her thoughts consumed her and she felt pools of water begin to stream down her face, the knock sounding on her door went unnoticed. The door opening and the sounding of footsteps across her entryway went unnoticed too.

'Peyton?'

'Peyton are you here? Hello?'

'Peyt-' the voice broke off finally seeing the figure of the person she was looking for violently sobbing on the couch.

Brooke looked down at the opened photo album in her hands and the precise photo Peyton was blearily looking at.

'Oh honey,' she quietly said as she went to sit next to the completely oblivious Peyton.

Peyton finally fell out of her trance when she felt a hand on her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

'Brooke don't do that.'

'I'm sorry. Really, I guess after calling your name only so many times I figured sitting down might catch your attention.'

'It's alright. I guess I was just feeling a little nostalgic, remembering the old days,' Peyton sadly spoke as she traced her fingers around the picture of her and Lucas.

'Everything was so simple back then,' Brooke sighed.

'Yeah. Wait, why exactly are you here? I thought you were modeling a new line this week?'

'Oh I am, I just didn't tell you that it was here in L.A. Thought I'd surprise you,' she smiled as Peyton closed the photo book and placed it on the coffee table in front of them.

Peyton unexpectedly pulled Brooke in for a hug, tightly gripping her arms around her best friend. Brooke although slightly taken aback reciprocated the hug and was pleased to have come back, she knew Peyton would need her especially now, no matter how many times she said she'd be fine.

'How're you guys doing?'

'Besides being excessively moody and having to pee nearly every ten minutes I'm alright, and the little guy should be just perfect in about a week's time.'

'Good. I'm available every single day; I'll be here with you. Every step of the way.'

'Have I told you lately how much I've missed you? I'm so happy you're here, and there's something I've been meaning to ask.'

'What?'

'You're my best friend, you've been so caring to me throughout all of this, and I know how much you'll care for this little one and how great you are with Jaime and I would love to have you be the godmother,' Peyton softly spoke as she saw a few sparkling tears grow in Brooke's eyes.

'And I know…I know that, that Lucas would want you to be too,' she continued on feeling a little queasy after saying his name.

'Oh Peyton, of course! I love you so much and I'll love him just as much and I'll always be here for the both of you,' Brooke smiled as she looked down at Peyton's stomach.

'I'm so glad you're my best friend B. Davis,' Peyton leaned against her shoulder as they both started to cry.

'Me too P. Sawyer, and nothing will ever change that.'

* * *

'We need to find a way to make the public believe they are officially dead.'

'Well we could always, oh maybe, _just _kill them.'

'You're both idiots. We can't have the world thinking they're dead because then what happens to us? We still get caught and sentenced to death for killing ten hostages and we get nothing out of it. The whole point of holding them is to get something out of it.'

'I thought the whole point was to just be hidden, torture them and have some fun, before killing their arrogant asses once and for all.'

'Maybe we should just kill you for such a dumb comment like that.'

'Well if that's not the point of this then what is, do you really think they're going to give us any money, they gave up their searches within two weeks. This is pointless still holding them.'

'Yeah, for god's sake they're innocent and if we just let them go no one can do anything to us.'

'No, no one is innocent. Those men will get what they deserve and so will we. Even if it means a few major wounds and risky business, we're holding them. They may just be on the brink of death, but we'll make sure they're still breathing. No one dies. No one. Do you two understand?'

'Yes.'

'Yeah, sure.'

'We need to up the torture to new degrees. Nothing life-threatening though and then maybe we can make some interesting video tapes that might spark some interest in their nation and earn us some bank.'

'Oh, this is going to be so fun.'

'I'll call up that doctor, I think we need him to do one more thing for us, something very important.'

The three men who were sitting at a small table playing cards in a run-down dimly lit room conversed over their ideas on the hostages they were holding. The leader made up to call said doctor while the other two exchanged glances wondering what he had in mind for the man. He picked up the wireless phone and dialed some numbers as he walked back to the table.

'And how's my favorite doctor doing on this fine evening?' The leader feigned sincerity.

'I'm fine. What do you want? I thought we agreed at the last meeting that I'm of no use to you anymore.'

'Can't a man just call his favorite medical friend for no reason?'

'Maybe if that man isn't you.'

'Fine, I guess I'll just tell you, I need your help and this is the last time I swear.'

'No.'

'No? You haven't even let me explain. I'll pay you triple what I did last time.'

'No, I won't do it.'

'This will be good for your conscience though, maybe make all that guilt you carry around go away. You'll be doing the men a favor, trust me.'

'I'm listening. Go on.'

The head mastermind then listed off exactly what he needed from the doctor. After talking intently for a whole hour and discussing every single detail, the conflicted doctor agreed and told him he'd be at the location the man had asked of him.

'Well that went much smoother than I had expected,' the leader exhaled as he set the phone on the table.

'Wow, you're a genius boss.'

'Very well played.'

'That was nothing, if this works accordingly; it will just be the tip of the iceberg. I'm telling you boys, within a few months we may be well on our way to being millionaires,' he leaned back in his fold-up chair and grinned at his two partners.

* * *

Three days later Peyton was loafing on the couch doing absolutely nothing. It was two o'clock in the afternoon on a Wednesday and nothing was on tv. After flipping through all the channels twice, she decided to switch on the news and see what was happening in the world she was currently cut off from.

A story came on about some natural disaster in the west, another dauntlessly went into detail about a famous baseball player being exposed and caught using drugs during his career, and another uninteresting piece had Peyton slowly dozing off to sleep. She was reaching over to grab the remote and click the television off when a red banner appeared on the bottom of the screen reading the words '_breaking news' _and she almost fell over at the interview appearing before her.

'Hello ladies and gentlemen, we have just received intriguing news involving the ten Americans who went missing about nine months ago. An interview done by a local station in an unknown disposed location has been handed to the American public. This is the footage received.'

The camera was no longer placed in a newsroom, but in a bright white room with an awkward looking man in a doctor's coat sitting directly across from the position of whoever was filming.

'Who are you exactly?' A person unseen asked.

'I am Remus Salem. I am a certified doctor and I've called this interview because I have been in contact with some of the ten missing Americans.'

'You were in contact with them? All of them?'

'Not all of them, I was only allowed access to four of them; Cameron Smith, Leo Ronkowsi, Wyatt Hensley, and Lucas Scott.'

Peyton felt her heart racing at the mention of his name.

'Why were you in contact with them?'

'I was hired. Being the only certified doctor in the area, they needed me to take samples from the four men I mentioned and I was forced to knock them out with sedatives, I gave them amounts that allowed them to be unconscious for an hour's time.'

'Why did you agree to do this and why are you speaking to us today?'

'I was more of forced into doing it than having the choice of agreeing. These men threatened to hurt my family and ruin my life if I didn't do as asked and I was scared for my life. I'm talking today because the guilt has begun to eat away at me and I felt wrong holding in the information I know. I was afraid of what would happen to me if the world found out, thinking I was one of the men who took them or that I wanted to be involved in this, I didn't.'

'So are you saying that the four men you met with, they were still alive when you met with them?'

'Yes. That was a few months ago, upon inspection they were very malnourished and some had serious bruises. All four of the men exhibited signs of extreme dehydration and dried blood was apparent on them all. Mr. Scott in particular was the worst off.'

Peyton wanted to scream, she wanted to punch the man in front of her, she wanted to see Lucas, she wanted to cry, but she just sat there unmoving not allowing her emotions to overtake her.

'So why were you only allowed to see the four, what about the other six men? Are you implying that they too may still be alive or are they dead?'

'They only wanted samples of so many men, to confirm that they said who they were. The samples did of course prove they weren't lying, but I know for a fact the other six are also alive.'

'How do we know you're not lying or how do we know to trust you?'

'Oh, those men gave me some items from the hostages to prove just that, they probably assumed I would eventually talk,' the man quickly lied not really knowing how to respond to that question, considering the men set up the interview.

'Okay. Before you show us those things can you tell us who these men who contacted you were or where the prisoners are located?'

'Unfortunately I can't. I was blindfolded to where the prisoners are currently located. The captors talked to me very briefly and the main leaders didn't come into contact with me at all. I was met with a new face every hour, people of no crucial value.'

'I understand. Now those items?'

'Ah, yes, right, all of these things were taken from the wallets of each man,' the doctor grabbed a little bag from the floor and set it on the table. First he pulled out the ID's of all four men, Lucas' included. Peyton couldn't believe she was seeing what she was seeing.

Next he produced a photo that was claimed to have been from Cameron Smith and then one from Leo Ronkowsi, but the next photo surprised Peyton. It was said to have been from Wyatt Hensley, a name she'd never heard in her life, and it was a picture of him, she figured, and of all people in the world her stepbrother Derek was standing next to him, both men were considerably younger in military uniforms smiling.

It warmed her heart knowing that someone who knew Derek and was in the military was with Lucas. Well she hoped he was with Lucas.

She drifted out of her thoughts as one more photo was placed in front of the camera. It was an old and severely tattered photograph with fold lines all across it. It was a photo of an 18-year-old Lucas Scott standing in cap and gown next to Peyton, his arm around her waist and smiles on both of their faces.

Unbeknownst to the camera was writing on the back of that photo, writing Peyton herself remembered scribbling on it before she gave it to him right before she said goodbye to him and flew off to L.A for her internship. He still had that photo, even after these years, he still had it?

If they had flipped it over, the words '_don't ever leave me' _would be seen. Peyton saw them though; Peyton saw them too clearly in her head. The interview ended shortly after and the news channel correspondents came back into view talking hurriedly about all of the info they'd just been fed.

Peyton felt her heart rate pick up, she was sweating profusely, and a pain overtook her whole body. She felt like fainting, she felt like she'd been killed, she felt like her unborn child was wanting to be born, and then she felt her water break.

Moving to stand she tried to walk to her phone, but her legs collapsed on her and she felt herself crumble to the floor. She was in pain, terrible pain, but she was pretty sure that pain had nothing whatsoever to do with her water breaking. Her heart breaking was hurting terrifyingly worse.

Not even five minutes later, Jake and Brooke pulled up to Peyton's apartment. They were planning on spending the entire afternoon with their pregnant friend knowing how much she hated being alone and cooped up.

Jake opened the door and Brooke followed in behind him.

'Hey Peyton, we're here,' Brooke called through the oddly silent apartment.

No answer. Jake and Brooke exchanged looks and panic started to develop in both of them.

'I'll check her room, you take the living room and kitchen,' he spoke as he started running to Peyton's room. Brooke went to the kitchen first, finding no sign of her friend so she went to the living room gasping as she saw Peyton lying on the floor unmoving.

'Jake, she's in here!' Brooke yelled as she kneeled next to Peyton. Jake came in immediately and lifted Peyton into his arms as he started walking to the car.

'Grab the overnight bag, we have to get her to the hospital,' he called behind him.

She did as asked and when she strode through the living room to leave, she finally noticed what was on the tv and she hoped that Peyton hadn't seen that, but she knew that she had. Of course she had.

* * *

Lucas was silently staring at the wall in front of him, as he had gotten so used to in the previous months when he heard a sharp cry. He swiftly looked to Wyatt who seemed off in his own world and he just shook it off thinking he was going delusional.

A few minutes later he heard another loud scream and he couldn't help but wonder if someone in the next room over was getting tortured and they were up next.

But then, Wyatt didn't seem to have heard it.

It sounded again and he forced his hands to cover his ears, hoping to block out the noise but nothing worked.

The next scream though frightened him, it wasn't indistinct, it wasn't random, it was coming from a voice he missed.

_Her_ voice.

The screaming seemed to go on for hours, unrelenting, and he couldn't help but wonder if she was in trouble, in pain, if the screaming was real. The longer it went on, the more it seemed.

He should've lost it, those shrieks were painfully loud, but her voice was soothing him. Something was wrong though; he could feel it in the pit of his stomach.

A man entered their chamber then and untied Lucas from the chair he was tied to and forced him to lie on his back on the ground. He grabbed a hidden spray can from his back pocket, tore Lucas' shirt off, and spray painted the words '_filthy American' _across his bare torso.

Next the man grabbed a white ski mask, pulled it around Luke's face so the eyeholes were on the backside of Lucas' head, and he retied Lucas' arms above his head and then proceeded to tie his legs.

He left and came back soon after returning with a set of chains, chaining Lucas to the cold concrete floor after removing the rest of his clothing so he lay naked. The man smirked over at Wyatt before leaving.

'Luke, I think something major happened. This isn't going to be good,' Wyatt croaked after finally daring to look over at the frail shadow of a man that was on the edge of dying.

'I'm scared Wyatt,' Lucas barely whispered as light, almost nonexistent tears spilled from his eyes for the first time.

'I am too Luke,' Wyatt was going to add that they would get out of this alright eventually, as he usually did respond, but he wasn't so sure anymore.

'If they kill me, if I die in this place and you're still alive, you have to tell her that I love her with my whole heart. I always have and I wish that things were different, I wish that I wouldn't have abandoned her as I did, because she's the only girl I ever have fully given myself to and she deserves so much better,' tears were now steadily surging down his face, thinking about the missed life he wasn't ever going to have with her.

'I will, but that isn't going to happen Lucas,' Wyatt sure hoped he'd someday be able to back those words up.

It wouldn't happen. It wouldn't Wyatt thought, but if he had a sight into both of their futures, he may not have been so certain.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

If you would have asked Peyton Sawyer what her thoughts on hospitals were a day ago she might have said something along the lines of crappy food, badly decorated halls and waiting rooms, and that they just have 'life sucks' written all across them. After yesterday though, hospitals didn't seem like such a miserable place.

'Umm I'm assuming you all are waiting here for Peyton Sawyer?' A lean doctor walked towards the only group of people waiting in the waiting room. It was around two in the morning and Jake, Brooke, and Mia stood as they saw the doctor approaching them.

'Yeah, is everything okay?' Brooke was the first to speak.

'Everything is great. We delivered a handsome little boy about ten minutes ago. He is perfectly healthy and Peyton is just the same,' the doctor smiled as he saw all three of their worried frowns disappear.

'When can we see them?' Jake asked this time.

'Well she asked for a few minutes alone, so in about fifteen minutes or so I'll send a nurse down to find you guys.'

'Thank you so much,' Brooke grabbed the man and hugged him.

'Um, yeah of course, Peyton did an amazing job especially for not having anyone in there with her. Anyways, after you guys do go in we'll only let you stay for a short time because we have to monitor the child for a few hours and run tests before letting him go home.'

'Right of course, thank you again,' Jake extended his hand and they all watched the man briskly walk away after casting an awkward look at Brooke.

'I think you frightened him Brooke,' Mia noted.

'Psh. He was just star struck. Who doesn't want to be hugged by Brooke Davis?'

'You really are something,' Jake started laughing as they all sat back down.

'I just really wish we could see her.'

'Ten more minutes, I think we can survive till then.'

'I know, but my best friend just gave birth to an adorable little bundle of Sawyer and Scott and ugh I've waited for this day forever,' Brooke started pouting. Ten minutes was a long time. She couldn't handle ten more minutes.

'Did Peyton have any particular names picked out?' Mia asked hoping to distract Brooke.

'Now that you mention it, I don't really remember her ever saying anything about it,' Brooke's forehead wrinkled as she furrowed her brow.

'I can't believe we never even talked about that,' she continued.

Brooke's whole demeanor seemed to change and Mia noticed that she looked as if she was lost in thought. Maybe suggesting names wasn't the best idea, but it did distract Brooke.

* * *

He was a true miracle. He was her son and she was his mom. She really couldn't believe that this small being was hers, that she created it. He was beautiful and she was instantly in love with him.

'You are so perfect,' she cooed after lightly kissing his crown while holding the newborn in her arms.

She just sat there for the next few minutes, holding her son, relishing in the peace that surrounded them. For a moment, she started to forget the world; it was just her and him.

His piercing blue eyes fluttered up to hers once again and maybe she was scared, maybe she was pained, maybe she was enlightened, but those eyes always had a hold over her, those eyes who replicated another blue-eyed man sunk into her soul and saw past all the walls. Those eyes were her weakness.

He kept his fixed look for a few more moments before closing those eyes and falling to sleep. 'I love you,' she whispered gently as she clamped her eyes shut, those words being intended for not only the sleeping form in her arms.

A soft knock resonated into the room and Peyton looked up to see Brooke peeking her head in. Peyton nodded to her and she opened the door allowing Mia and Jake to follow her in.

'Hey,' Brooke simply said as she took a seat next to Peyton, Mia sat next to Brooke while Jake stood behind the two.

'He's beautiful Peyton,' Jake chimed in.

'He's amazing,' Mia awed.

Peyton just nodded, she looked down at him again and when she looked up little drops of water were shining in her orbs. 'He's perfect,' she spoke for the first time since they entered.

'Does he have a name?' Brooke asked.

'Jeremy. Jeremy Keith Scott.'

'I love it,' Brooke seriously said looking at Peyton as both Mia and Jake nodded their heads.

'Yeah?' Peyton questioned.

'Of course, and Lucas would love it too.'

'You think?' Peyton's voice came out quieter and her eyes felt moister. She really wanted to believe that Lucas would be okay with their son's name.

'Absolutely,' this time it was Jake who spoke.

'Good,' Peyton smiled. 'Would you like to hold your godson Brooke?'

'Yeah,' Brooke almost squealed, but didn't seeing the baby was still asleep.

Peyton carefully maneuvered the newborn into her best friends arms and felt herself smiling at their interaction. She could already tell how much Brooke was going to care for her son.

After a while Brooke offered Jeremy to both Jake and Mia and they each held the baby for a short time until the doctor came back into the room.

'Well, it's time that we should take Jeremy and finish up some tests so you guys can take him home right away tomorrow,' the doctor nonchalantly stated.

Peyton handed Jeremy to Brooke and she started to hand him over to the doctor. The doctor took the baby after eyeing Brooke suspiciously and then left the room.

'Okay am I missing something? Why did he totally just give you the death glare?' Peyton lightly chuckled.

'When he first told us that everything went great I kind of got super giddy and hugged the guy. I think he just doesn't know how to be in the presence of a famous person like myself,' Brooke shrugged as Peyton laughed.

'Only you B. Davis. Thanks by the way, all of you for being here. It's pretty late though, you guys should go home and rest, I'll be okay.'

Jake and Mia said goodbye to Peyton and then made to leave. Brooke on the other hand didn't move.

'Brooke, you should go.'

'No, I won't be able to sleep anyways. I've missed you too much, so I'll take any opportunity to see you.'

'Huh, fine. '

Peyton and Brooke talked for a little while longer before they both drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Lucas was currently chained to the floor. Still. It had to have been hours, maybe even a day; time really was a meaningless thing now.

Every muscle in his body ached, specifically his arms, and he could barely breathe through the ski mask. He tried his best to calm himself, to not get too worked up; if he did his HCM might be the faster route to death for him.

The pills he took for it, he hadn't had in months. Being chained to the floor made him remember the condition altogether for the first time since he'd been taken into this awful place.

'Wyatt.'

'Luke.'

'I'm going to die here.'

'No, Lucas you have to stop sayi-'

'I have a serious heart condition,' Lucas interjected.

'What, what do you mean?'

'I have HCM. I've been diagnosed with it since I was 17. I take medication; it allows my heart muscles from thickening and keeps me living. I haven't taken those pills since we've been here. Any day now, they are finally going to push me over the edge and I'm going to have a heart attack and die.'

'Luke-'

'Look, when the time comes at least you'll know what is happening. Don't worry about it, I'm destined to die here, hell I'm already considered dead.'

'What if we told them, don't you think they might offer to get you your medication?'

'Medication or no medication, I'll still be here and still have high stress levels. I'll just as likely have a chance for collapsing.'

'Still it might help. I'll convince them.'

Right as Wyatt finished speaking the door opened and two men walked in, men that Wyatt hadn't seen before. One was carrying a camera and the other had a taser.

Wyatt wanted to find out exactly what they were doing because this really couldn't be good for Lucas' condition.

'What are you doing?' He almost yelled, stopping the men who were advancing on Lucas.

'We're having a little fun. You see, your friend here, he put our friend in the hospital after the whole wrestling incident, and we're here to show him a lesson,' the man with the taser stated.

'What are you doing though?' Wyatt gritted out.

'Well we were going to play shock-the-man-laying-on-the-ground-till-he-can-no- longer-talk, but maybe we'll play it with both of you,' the man sneered at Wyatt. This guy was starting to piss him off.

'Don't touch him.'

'And why not? We're just having fun, he won't die,' the man was now in front of Wyatt and untying his binds.

Wyatt took a few steps back after being freed from the chair and stood before Lucas.

'Move,' both the men ordered as they tried to push Wyatt back.

'Just move Wyatt, let them do whatever, just don't make it worse on yourself,' this time Lucas' voice screeched from below the three men.

Wyatt couldn't believe how stubborn Lucas was being. Here he was, chained to the ground about to be slaughtered and he still insisted that Wyatt's safety was far more important. He was being ridiculous.

One of the men pushed Wyatt to the side and slammed him into the ground, tying his hands. Wyatt lay on his stomach, still on the ground, not daring to move.

The man rounded Wyatt and forced him to stand, and then swiftly he fired the taser off on his abdomen. What happened afterwards was a feeling Wyatt never felt before in his life, a pulsating sensation erupted across his stomach and then spread throughout the rest of his body and he felt his legs stumbling under him as his head came into contact with the ground.

The man with the taser then moved to where Lucas was still chained and repeatedly fired the taser at him. Now unlike Wyatt, Lucas had been tasered before and knew what to expect. He couldn't move anything. His body just went stiff, out of his control.

While the man finished and the other man stepped toward Lucas, his mind kept wandering back to that night he was first tasered when Ian Banks attacked Peyton, and him and the real Derek threw him out the window.

He hated thinking about anyone trying to hurt Peyton.

He heard the sound of shuffling and guessed that they had dragged Wyatt next to him.

They had. They had also removed all his clothing and spray painted the words '_soon to be dead' _across Wyatt's torso and then placed a white ski mask around his head with the eyeholes facing opposite his face near his neck like they had done to Lucas.

Both prisoners' hands were tied above their heads, feet bound, all limbs chained to the concrete.

Next one man took a sharpie and drew smiley faces on the masks. They pricked one finger of both Luke and Wyatt's and then used the blood and dripped it down their arms.

The man with the camera started taking numerous photographs from multiple angles until he was satisfied he had enough footage. Each flash had Lucas trying to shut his eyes. The light hurt his head.

Next the cameraman pulled out a video recorder and gave the okay to his buddy when he was all set up. The other man kneeled down and preceded to beat both Lucas and Wyatt senseless while the recorder silently watched from close by.

Lucas wondered what the point of it was because the man was a horrible puncher. He was mild compared to the other fellows who had taken aim at him in the months before. When the man was close enough Luke used it as an opportunity to voice his opinions.

'You punch like a weak little girl.'

The man became furious. His next hit bounded across Lucas' face causing his eye to instantly swell.

'Not bad, I've still experienced worse,' he continued to mock.

'I hope they kill you first,' the man slammed his fist again into Lucas' face, seeing blood rush from his nose.

The man retreated soon after sneering and both men were gone within minutes. Wyatt was still silent and Lucas had no idea if he was okay.

'Wyatt? You okay?' He attempted to turn his head, but it would have been of no use because he could no longer look through the ski mask with the black ink from the sharpie clouding the cloth.

'Yeah, that, that was terrible. How did you stay so stoic?'

'I've been tasered before. You kind of know what to expect after the first time,' Lucas casually said.

'When?'

'Remember how I told you about Psycho Derek? Him. The first time he attacked.'

'Oh. I'm betting they are going to leak some more info to the public. My guess is they are still just holding us cause they want something out of all of this. We're just leverage they came across. And you never just let leverage go without a profit.'

Lucas was hoping Wyatt was wrong. That none of what just happened would be exposed to the world, to his family, to people who already considered him dead. He didn't want anyone to get fed false hope to just be crushed again. If they were, then he really only had the choice to make it out alive.

That wouldn't be easy.

* * *

Three weeks later Lindsey Strauss, now senior editor at Putnam and Pratt, was sitting at her desk when her boss walked into her office and told her to come to the boardroom in ten for an urgent meeting.

Oh great, she thought. Boardroom meetings always meant bad news. Usually they'd be informed that an author had to be dropped, or someone would be severely chewed out for not meeting deadlines, or the company was losing money, or some other boring thing.

This boardroom meeting was far different though, she realized that right away when she walked into the room and noticed the two uniformed men talking with her boss at the front of the room.

Lucas/missing writers' update, that's what it had to be. She really didn't want to be here, she started to wish it were just an ordinary meeting.

They'd only had one previous update and it was just a general briefing of everything they already knew. Four of the five authors that went on the trip were from their company and it was a major deal to the heads of the company. Specifically because the project they created had resulted in ten missing people.

About five minutes later the meeting started and Lindsey's boss introduced the two men, men who were apart of the task force Derek Summers had started.

'We've been handed crucial information a few days ago that the company wanted to be shared with all of you because this won't be shown to the public.'

They placed copies of two photos in front of everyone seated around the table. One photo was the image of a man blindfolded with bruises covering his body head to toe, taped to a wall.

The other photo caught Lindsey's attention. It was of two men lying next to each other with white ski masks on. They were bound in ropes and chains and they looked as if they were dead. They probably could be dead. As she scanned the photo she recognized the tattoo on the inside of the wrist of the man on the left and knew it had to be Lucas.

He looked unnaturally thin, blood was dripping down his forearms, and the spray paint across his torso made her feel sick. She didn't let it get to her though, she turned the photo over and let her eyes fall back to the men at the front of the room.

'Besides those two photos, we were given a video of the same two men in the second photo. It is graphic, if you need to leave the room at any moment please do.'

A screen was pulled down and a grainy video was projected onto it. If Lindsey thought Lucas and the other man were dead in the photos, the video proved to her that that wasn't the case. They were much alive; she even heard Lucas' comment to the tormentor and knew that he still had some part of his sanity.

The video and meeting ended not long after and Lindsey secretly slipped her photo of Lucas and the other man into her purse before anyone could notice. She went back to her office and started establishing a plan to do something she'd wanted to do since she'd come back to New York after visiting Lucas' house.

She was going to get payback; she was going to make Peyton Sawyer wish she had never written that stupid letter in the first place. She was going to turn some people's lives upside down.

She was going to let everyone know that you don't mess with Lindsey Strauss.

* * *

Two months ago Peyton had given birth to her son and she couldn't believe how fast the time had flown by. He was her saving grace and all the simple things he did had her melting.

She found herself exceedingly happy during those first two months, but she knew it was time for her to head back to work. If she wanted to get Jake on that road of success like she had promised him, she needed to start getting back into her routine once again.

Fortunately for her, she found the perfect babysitter who lived only a few apartments down.

Every morning, before heading to the label she would drop off Jeremy at Kristin's, the babysitter, and then she'd pick him up every night at four before going home.

This morning though, Kristin couldn't babysit and she had to take him with her to work.

'Hey Peyton,' Mia called from the studio after Peyton had set her stuff down on her desk and carried Jeremy who was nestled in a baby carrier into the sound room.

'Hey. That sounded really great by the way,' Peyton replied using the talk back button to talk to her artist.

She picked up a few papers and carried them to her desk before she set Jeremy down in the studio by Mia.

'Oh, yeah I just forgot, when I got here this morning some dude called from some studio up in New York wanting to set up an interview with Jake, apparently the new album is selling fast,' Mia started.

'New York? Did you get his number?'

'Yeah it's on your desk,' Mia went to play with Jeremy as Peyton strolled to her desk gasping at the name on the paper.

This wasn't just some dude. This was a major record exec. who did work with MTV. She called him and they told her they were in love with Jake's album and wanted to get him to come on TRL next week. She agreed and called Jake right away after she hung up with the man.

'JAKE!' She was practically screaming.

'Peyton? Are you okay?'

'Yes. Look you need to come to the label right now. I have major news.'

'I'm kind of busy at the moment.'

'What if I told you the news involves you going to New York and being on TRL?'

'What? You're kidding.'

'No. I'm not. Get over here now,' she firmly stated and then hung up, knowing well he'd be over soon.

* * *

A week later Peyton was leaving Jeremy with Kristin to watch over him for the few days she would be gone and then her and Jake set off to the airport together heading to New York.

She really hadn't wanted to leave Jeremy. She hadn't ever spent more than a day apart from him, but she really couldn't risk bringing him with her and having her family find out, especially since she was going to New York. Lindsey lived in New York.

She also realized that eventually she would have to tell everyone back home, and she really wanted to. She was just still trying to summon up that courage.

'So are you excited?' Jake asked breaking her out of her thoughts as they took their seats on the plane and buckled in.

'Me? You're the one with the selling album and lovable voice.'

'You're the producer though who discovered that lovable voice and you haven't really been anywhere but L.A for the past year.'

'Well I guess you have a point. I still can't believe it's been almost a whole year,' she said emptily. A year made everything seem so much more real; a year away from Tree Hill, another year without seeing Lucas, an entire year.

They didn't talk much for the rest of the flight. When they finally did land, they collected their bags, hailed a taxi, went to their hotel and dropped their stuff off and then headed right down to the TRL studios, the interview was scheduled to go on air in about an hour.

* * *

That same afternoon Nathan and Haley were sitting in their kitchen eating lunch with their son when a knock sounded on the door.

Haley looked at Nathan as if to ask who it could be, but he just shrugged and moved to answer it.

'Derek, it's great to see you,' Nathan shook his hand after opening the door.

'Likewise. I've got some important news for you guys, could we talk?'

'Yeah of course, come on in,' Nathan gestured as Derek walked in and Nathan closed the door.

'Hey Hales, it's Derek,' Nate spoke as he and Derek entered the kitchen.

Jaime looked up from the sandwich he was eating and immediately sprinted across the floor crashing into Derek's legs, tightly wrapping both his arms around them.

'Uncle Derek I missed you! Did you find Uncle Lucas yet?' Jaime innocently questioned.

Ever since Derek had taken Jaime out to his military base, Jaime had started calling him uncle. Derek loved the kid and had taken him out several times when Haley or Nathan needed someone to watch and the two had formed a bond.

'Well buddy, you know I've been looking and I'm still looking and every single day I'm getting closer. We'll find him soon,' Derek stated in a reassuring voice.

'That's actually why I'm here, I've received some updates,' Derek hinted trying to let Nathan and Haley know he didn't want Jaime to be around to hear what he had.

'Right. Well Jaime, we have to talk about some grown up stuff for a while, why don't you take the rest of your sandwich up to your room and play and then when we're done you can hang out with Derek for awhile?' Haley asked as she picked up his plate and handed it to him.

'Okay,' he said as he bounded off to his room.

'That kid sure has a lot of energy,' Derek slightly chuckled.

'That he does,' Nathan shook his head. Jaime was never stopping.

'Why don't we sit in the living room?' Haley suggested and they followed her.

Derek pulled out some papers that indicated messages they'd received from the people claiming to have the prisoners and he talked to them about the whole doctor interview.

He did confirm that all of what the man had said was true and that Luke was still alive. He didn't show to them the photos and video that Lindsey had seen. He was afraid it would upset them too much and it was better off to let them in on the details little by little and not all at once.

'That photo he had. The one of him and Peyton, when I saw it I remember her telling me she gave that to him once. Right before she left for L.A the first time, I can't believe he would still have that on him,' Nathan said as Haley leaned into his side on the couch.

Derek just solemnly nodded and then asked, 'Have either of you heard from her since she went back?'

'No, none of us have. Brooke went to L.A a few months ago and she told us she visited her and that she was all right and the label was going great, but she didn't say much else. I just don't understand why she hasn't contacted us, or why Brooke seemed so weird when she came back,' Haley spoke.

Nathan shifted on the couch and his leg accidentally changed the channel after pressing against the remote and the girl they were all just talking about was on the screen before them. All three of them looked at each other shocked before turning their heads back to the screen.

Nathan noted that she looked a little fuller, but frail at the same time. She was glowing and he had never seen Peyton Sawyer that happy in his entire life. What really caught his attention was the man to the right of her, Jake Jagielski.

'So tell us Jake, why'd you sign onto Ms. Sawyer's label?'

'Well Peyton and I go way back. We went to the same high school together, we actually dated. I really didn't know how to start up my career and I wasn't having any luck so I decided to send a demo out to her. She's always been so passionate about music and I know she knows how to put out a great record, so one day when she called me up and asked me to sign on I said yes in an instant,' Jake smiled at Peyton.

'Jake's not your only upcoming artist currently signed is he?' The interviewer questioned to Peyton.

'No, he's not. Mia Catalano has been with my label from the very start and we are actually expecting to be releasing her next album here in a few months,' Peyton explained.

'Wow. That's great. You heard it first here folks, Mia Catalano will be releasing another album soon!'

The interviewer asked them a few more questions before they left and then the show went to a commercial break.

Nathan turned the television off. 'That was…wow I didn't know she was working with Jake.'

'If anyone is surprised it's me, and I work at the label here in town,' Haley spoke slightly angry that she didn't even know about that.

'I've never seen her that happy,' Derek slowly responded.

'Me neither,' Nathan and Haley both said. Something had definitely changed in their friend and none of them had a clue as to what that could have been.

* * *

That night when Peyton and Jake arrived back at their hotel he got a call and went into his room as Peyton went into her own.

She lay back on the bed, thinking about all that had just happened and how Jake's career was just about to take off, and then she thought about Jeremy and how much she missed him so she called Kristin.

Kristin informed her of all that happened that day and they talked for a while and Peyton found herself laughing often at all the cute stories Kristin had to tell. Around ten she hung up and that's when Jake came into her room.

'Hey rock star,' Peyton greeted him.

'Hey hotshot label owner,' he jeered back.

He sat next to her on the end of her bed and opened his mouth a few times to speak, but then closed it just as soon. He didn't know how to tell her.

'Okay, what's going on Jake?' Peyton asked seeing his nervousness.

'Well my parents just called and we've got two days to kill so I thought I would maybe go back to Savannah and stay there and then head back to L.A on Friday,' he cautiously spoke hoping she wouldn't be mad.

'That's great Jake! We wouldn't have done much else anyways. Maybe, maybe I'll head back to Tree Hill. I really need to go back at some point and I got an invitation to Jaime's birthday party tomorrow.'

'Okay good, I didn't know if you'd be mad. You should go to Tree Hill though, we could get a flight together and I could drive from there to Savannah,' he suggested, really hoping it'd convince her to go home because she needed to go home.

'Alright, yeah I'll go. This will be good,' she grinned over at him.

She was going back to Tree Hill.

* * *

_AN: So okay, I know TRL isn't around anymore, but I really needed a show like that to work in the interview. Thanks for reading. _


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: Forgive me in advance, for the cliffy you may stumble upon. I feel your pain, but it was imperative. Enjoy._

Chapter 7:

Today was the day he'd been anticipating for the last year. He woke up early; he was surprised he had gotten as much sleep as he had. Today was like Christmas; actually it would be better than Christmas because the day was all about him.

Today Jaime Scott turned six. Today he would be having a huge party.

'Mama, wake up!' Jaime jumped on the bed furiously trying to waken his mother.

'Ugh, why?' Haley groaned.

'Today's the day!' Jaime shouted as he stopped jumping and shoved at his father.

'What's so important about today?' Nathan asked trying to sound as if he had possibly no clue.

'It's my birthday!'

'It is?' Haley looked at him.

'Yes!'

'I thought it was tomorrow,' Nathan casually said as he turned to face Jaime.

'It's today,' he pouted.

Nathan sent Haley a smirk and within seconds they were both tickling Jaime. He tossed around giggling.

'We're just kidding bud. You can't possibly think we'd forget after you bugging us non-stop the past week.'

Jaime just continued laughing until they stopped tickling him.

'Why don't you go get dressed and then go downstairs and we can make you a special birthday breakfast and talk about that huge party you're having this afternoon,' Haley told him.

He was up in no time and running back across the hall.

'So who is all exactly invited to this party?' Nathan asked.

'Let's see. Deb, Karen and Lily, Mouth, Junk, Fergie, Skills, Brooke, Chase, I saw Chris in town the other day and he said he'd stop by, Lindsey, Derek but he said he couldn't make it, Peyton although I don't know if she's coming, and all of Jaime's friends,' Haley said mentally running over all the people she sent invites to.

'Okay hold up, go back a few steps. Did you say you invited Lindsey?!'

'Don't give me that look, Nathan. She's still his fiancée, well the last we knew she was and I kind of accidently let it slip when she came back that one week and was forced to invite her.'

'I can't believe you invited her,' Nathan complained, he really didn't want Lindsey to be there if Peyton did show up. He really hoped Peyton would show up though, he missed her. And seeing her on that interview the other day made him miss her even more.

'Well it's out of my hands now. I'm sorry, she might not even show up,' she retorted as she rolled over to the side of the bed.

Haley got up and changed and he did the same. About ten minutes later they both walked downstairs and Haley started making French toast for Jaime, just as he had requested.

The boy sure mimicked his uncle.

'Is Aunt Peyton coming today?' Jaime asked. He really missed her. That seemed to be the common theme among the Scott men.

'Maybe, we invited her,' Nathan offered as he looked over at his son.

'I really hope she does,' Jaime said a little dejectedly.

'I do too, but if she doesn't come that doesn't mean she doesn't care about you. It's just tough for her to be here right now,' Nathan gently assured the boy before he picked up both their plates and rinsed them off in the sink.

'You want to know a secret?' Jaime asked as he watched his father clean the table.

'What's that?'

'I always thought Uncle Lucas and Aunt Peyton would be married to each other. And they'd have a family like ours.'

Nathan and Haley locked eyes at their son's confession and Haley recognized the sadness that washed across Nathan's face.

'I always thought that too,' Nathan said seriously as he glanced back at his son. He then walked to the closet and grabbed his jacket.

'I need to take a walk,' he announced to Haley and left without saying another word.

'Whats wrong with him?' Jaime wondered as he started to regret his little admission.

'Nothing sweetie, he's just got a lot on his mind and needs to get some air to clear his head,' Haley responded as she crouched in front of him and then she ruffled his hair.

'What about you and me go pick up that fancy cake of yours?' She asked hoping to cheer him up.

'Yeah?' Jaime smiled.

'Yeah. Go put on your shoes and your coat and we'll go,' Haley grinned at him as she grabbed her keys, then left a note on the table for Nathan if he returned before them.

As they were leaving, Nathan was coming upon the place he intended to go since he left his house. He was standing in front of Lucas' headstone, he didn't consider it a grave cause he knew in his heart that Luke was still alive out there somewhere.

'Man you really need to come home. You better not act like an ass when you do either,' he exhaled as he sat down.

'Sorry, that was a little harsh I know. Today is Jamie's sixth birthday. I can't believe how fast he's grown, he really misses you.'

'And you wouldn't believe what he just told me,' he slightly laughed as he continued on.

'He said that he always thought you and Peyton would be married with a cute little family and all. It's kind of sad really, how the kid could understand that and yet you never could.'

By now tears were forming and falling onto the grass Nathan sat upon. 'She's gone Lucas. She's blocked us all out. It's seems like the day you went missing so did she, it's like we've lost both of you. And I can't, I don't want to live in a world without her or you.'

'You need to come back. We need you here. You have to come back,' he was desperately pleading now.

'I'm not giving up on you big brother. I won't,' he stood and walked over to where Keith Scott rested, talked to him for a short while, left a flower, and then walked back home. He felt lighter and that's what he had intended.

He now understood Peyton's need to visit with her mom. It really did help.

* * *

'Brooke, hey, glad you could make it!' Haley beamed seeing Brooke at her door.

'Let me guess, I'm the first person here?'

'Am I that obvious?'

'Just a little bit, you've got that nervous party-planning look on your face that you always get when you're hosting something. Always worried no one would show up,' Brooke smirked as she walked into the house.

'Oh shut up. So you haven't heard if Peyton's coming or not have you?' Haley subtly asked.

'I hate to say it, but I doubt she's coming. I tried pleading with her, but she seemed dead set on not showing. I'm sorry,' Brooke pulled Haley in for a hug seeing the dispirited look on her face.

'Is she mad at us, are we the reason she's gone?'

'No. Absolutely not, she loves you guys. She's just had a tough time for the past few months and she's been real busy with the label. It's nothing to do with you, seriously.'

'I understand, I guess. Did you catch her on TRL the other day?'

'Yeah, I always knew that her and Jagielski would team up in the industry together. It's pretty wonderful actually, she deserves all the success they both are receiving,' Brooke smiled.

'She really does. I just couldn't believe that he-' Haley broke off as they heard the bell ring. Their eyes met and they walked to the front door together.

A group of people made their way in and Brooke and Haley were occupied for the next few minutes greeting everyone who walked through that door. Lindsey included, who hung back and didn't talk to anyone in particular.

Nathan who was in the kitchen preparing all the food he just grilled on plates helped direct the kids outside to where Jaime was playing and helped those with presents showing them the small side room they could set them in.

Afterwards he found Haley, Brooke, and Chase and fell into conversation with them as they talked with Karen and Deb.

The doorbell rang again and Brooke slipped away from the five to get it. She squealed seeing the spiky haired man.

'Long time, no see Keller,' she smirked as he chuckled.

'And that's a bad thing why? Wait, is Brooke Davis finally admitting that she actually missed the Keller,' he grinned back at her.

'On second thought, it hasn't been long enough,' she rolled her eyes as she gestured for him to come in.

'Well if it makes you feel any better, Chris Keller missed you too,' he surprised her by quickly hugging her and she squinted at him.

'Okay am I missing something, are you being… sincere?'

'I'm always sincere. Besides I've changed over the past few years,' he waved it off as he started walking towards Haley and Nathan.

Brooke who was stunned followed him, thinking maybe the arrogant guy they all knew back in high school had actually changed. It wasn't such a bad thing really.

'Chris I'm so glad you made it!' Haley exclaimed as she hugged him and then he shook hands with Nathan.

'Of course I did. You think I'd miss my favorite six year old kid's birthday bash and miss out on impressing a certain hotshot record label owner?' He smugly grinned, but quickly stopped seeing the looks all six people were shooting him.

'What?'

'She's not here, she's probably not coming,' Brooke solemnly told him.

'Oh she'll be here, count on it,' and with that he walked over to Jaime high-fiving the boy. They all stared after him. What the hell did he mean she'd be here, Brooke thought. She of all people would know considering she was her best friend.

* * *

'Oh lovely men, we have so much planned for you today,' the brunette man wearing a gray jacket with tattered jeans sarcastically sneered.

For the first time in months, Lucas and Wyatt were in the presence of the other eight men that were also being held. They had all been gathered into the same room that they were huddled together in when they watched the service in Washington D.C. The television was turned on, but it was on a DVD home screen.

Everyone looked just as bad as Wyatt and himself Luke thought as he eyed everyone in the room. He was surprised they were all still alive.

'We thought we'd let you guys get a little taste of the lives you are missing out on while away from home. Consider it a movie day, without the popcorn,' the same man snickered as he hit play on a remote.

The screen in front of them glowed and slowly transformed into the picture of a beach somewhere along the western coast as waves could be seen in the background. A beautiful wedding with only a few in attendance was taking place and the camera soon panned in close to get a better view of the couple.

One man, a man Lucas wasn't really familiar with let out a sharp breath and was soon bowing his head as the sound of their voices broke the room's silence. Luke felt bad for the man, knowing that maybe the woman was someone he had planned on marrying or the couple was friends of the man or relatives.

This was going to a long, unbearable afternoon. The tape of the marriage continued on for probably an hour till a new picture came into view. The man sitting in front of Lucas let a loud sob this time.

It was going to be an extremely long and unbearable day.

* * *

'So Jaime, what do you say we open those presents and then dig into your cake? It seems like everyone who is going to be here is here,' Nathan added under his breath as he looked to the door for what seemed like the millionth time hoping his curly haired friend might walk through.

'Cake first, then presents,' Jaime insisted.

'Whatever you say kiddo, it's your party,' Haley went to grab the cake and light six candles as everyone gathered around the dining room table. Jaime sat anxiously at the head of it wearing his party hat.

They all sang 'Happy Birthday' to him and afterwards everyone waited for him to blow his candles out, Jaime didn't though.

'Jaime, the candles are going to burn out if you don't decide on a wish quickly,' Brooke said.

'Half of it just came true,' his eyes glimmered with a sparkle as he stared intently ahead causing everyone to turn their heads and see what he was gaping at.

'Hey guys,' Peyton softly spoke partially mad that they had arrived so late. Jake decided to come with her to the party and he was standing right behind her.

'Oh my god you're here!' Brooke screamed as she ran and hugged her best friend, almost pummeling her to the floor. Peyton chuckled as she regained her balance.

Jaime was next in line as he jumped from his place at the table and dove into Peyton's arms. She smiled down at him. 'Sorry we got here so late bud, our flight got delayed for an hour.'

'It's okay, I'm just glad you're here,' he gushed as he nestled further into her embrace.

'I'm glad I'm here too,' she looked into those familiar Scott eyes and she pulled an envelope out from her purse and handed it to him.

'What's this?'

'That, Jaime, is a $200 gift certificate to that fancy bookstore a little birdy told me you love to visit and I know how much you love to read,' she ruffled his hair as he hugged her again. The kid loved books and she wondered faintly if her own son would someday be just as crazy about them as Jaime was.

Nathan broke them out of their moment when he suddenly was standing in front of her, looking as distraught as ever. She glanced up and took a step towards him.

'God, I've missed you Sawyer,' he croaked as he clasped his hands around her.

'I'm sorry I've been distant,' she whispered in his ear so only he could hear.

'That's going to change though right?' He asked hopeful.

She about to tell him it was, but then she caught a pair of eyes standing in the far back of the room and guilt and fear overtook her.

'Yeah hopefully.'

He sensed the change in her demeanor and pulled back as he searched her eyes. In a matter of only a few seconds her whole presence had changed. He followed her gaze, understanding immediately what she was thinking.

'So Jaime, what do you say we light those candles one more time and then you can make your wish?' Haley broke the awkwardness that seemed to fill the air.

'No need, half of my wish just came true,' he stated as he sent a cheeky smile to where his dad and Peyton stood.

She took in a sharp breath, really not wanting to think about what the other half of his 'wish' could possibly be.

Haley then ushered everyone into the living room to open presents and Jake and Peyton hung back.

'How you holding up?' Jake asked her.

'So far, I'm okay,' she shot him a ghost of a smile as he slipped his arm around her waist and they walked into the living room. Something that didn't go unnoticed by Brooke or Haley or Nathan.

Jaime had opened several gifts and he had exactly three left. The first one he went to open was from Skills and it was badly wrapped, but Jaime tore into it like a maniac anyways.

'No way Uncle Skills, this is awesome!' He shouted as he saw his present was a Wii, the exact thing he'd been begging for, for weeks.

'Anything for you J. Luke,' Skills laughed. Peyton felt her eyes shut after hearing the nickname, remembering Lucas saying those exact words several times.

Jaime tore into his next gift, which was a small square box. He opened it and a frown settled on his face as his brow furrowed.

'What exactly is this?' He asked holding up the three small triangles.

Peyton was the first to speak up although the gift wasn't from her. 'Those are guitar picks buddy, here flip them over they might hav-' She suddenly stopped talking as she flipped one of them over and saw the signature of Ryan Adams.

'Who is this gift from Jaime?'

Before he could look, Chris Keller stepped from behind everyone who was now gathering around Peyton and Jaime and raised his brow at her.

'Maybe I should of held off on that one and saved it for your birthday,' he grinned as she squinted her eyes at him.

'How did you get this?'

'Keller has connections,' was all he said.

She looked back down at Jaime, 'Hold onto this one, someday it'll be worth a lot. Trust me.' He just nodded his head as she handed it back to him.

Peyton retreated back to where she was standing next to Jake and unknowingly Chris followed her.

'Blondie, I see you're making a name for yourself in the industry. You searching for any new talent because if you are, I'm always available,' he coyly stated as he pulled a demo from his back pocket and handed it to her.

'Who would've thought the day would come when Keller finally got down on his knees and begged for me to sign him to my label?' She smirked.

'Keller isn't begging, he's mildly suggesting. That demo is amazing and I'm just trying to do you a favor,' he responded.

'Fine whatever, but if it is utter crap don't be expecting any calls from me.'

'Oh, but it's just the opposite.'

She was going to throw him a snarky remark, but Jaime went to open his last present. He pulled the sweater and military cap out of the bag and immediately became ecstatic.

'Uncle Derek is the best!'

Hearing that name caused Peyton to lock eyes with Nate and Haley and they motioned for her to meet them in the kitchen, which she did.

'Derek. I haven't heard from him in forever, how is he?' She rambled off quickly.

'He's great Peyton. He took Jaime a few times out to the base and they just started this bond,' Nathan explained.

Peyton just nodded, starting to wish she 'd contacted him of all people. 'Is he still, is he still looking for Luke?'

'Yeah, he is. He stopped by not to long ago actually and told us they'd been in contact with the men holding them. He also talked to us about the whole doctor interview that was aired,' Nathan calmly said.

'So that wasn't a hoax or anything, the guy was being honest?'

'Well they're still uncertain if he really was as helpless as he made himself sound, but everything he claimed seemed to hold true.'

She just nodded again. 'I need some air,' she instantly stated as she moved from the kitchen and headed to the front door. Brooke happened to glance over then and told Nathan and Haley she'd go after her.

Peyton hadn't gone far. She was sitting on the steps that led up to Naley's house and had her arms wrapped around herself. Brooke quietly sat down next to her and Peyton leaned into her side.

'I know this is hard, and I know how much pain it's causing you to be here, but I'm so proud that you did. Everyone's missed you.'

'I'm happy I did too; I've missed them as much. I just needed some air for a bit, I'll be fine,' Peyton glanced up at her best friend and smiled slightly.

'Okay. I heard they're serving the cake pretty soon and I know how much P. Sawyer loves cake so come back when you're ready,' Brooke placed her hand on Peyton's shoulder and then retreated back into the house.

* * *

Eight guys had been placed through their very own hell individually. Luke wouldn't admit it, but he actually enjoyed watching all the home videos no matter how much pain they were inflicting. It was nice to get a taste of the world outside of their little torturous reality.

The ninth video started up and Luke felt Wyatt tense next to him. The video that appeared seemed to be taken from an unknown vantage point, as if the video tapers weren't invited to the event that they were filming.

Unlike most of the other videos, this one was steady and easy to follow. The picture wasn't shaking and no noise could be heard, until a few seconds into the video a priest began reading.

It was funeral, it was, but Lucas couldn't tell whom the man or woman that passed was, seeing as their body was in the coffin. He had a good idea though that Wyatt knew, seeing the look of horror on his face.

The procession went on for quite some time and then the coffin was being lowered into an open grave next to a grave that held Wyatt's name.

Lucas shuddered seeing that, wondering if they'd done the same for him. Gave him a meaningless stone with nothing to lie below it.

'No, no, no he's not dead!' Wyatt frantically muttered.

Before Luke could respond the tape ended and the man controlling the screen spoke for a final time.

'Only one more tape guys, but don't worry. We saved the_ best_ for last,' the man sent Lucas a scornful look then laughed loudly and started the tape up.

* * *

About an hour after Jaime had finished with his presents, Jake had left to go to Savannah. He said goodbye to everyone and told Peyton he'd see her on Friday, when they flew home together.

It was late in the evening by now and many of the guests had left. Brooke, Peyton, Haley, and Chris were gathered around the kitchen table. Nathan was talking with Skills, Chase, and Mouth and Deb was putting Jaime to sleep upstairs.

Lindsey had somehow managed to end up staying so late without being noticed, and she knew now was the perfect opportunity to finish what Peyton had seemed to start. It was even better, considering Derek wouldn't be here to point her out as a fraud.

She cautiously walked into the kitchen were the three girls and Chris were talking and she cleared her throat gaining their attention.

'I have some news you guys all need to hear,' she started.

Nathan, Skills, Chase, and Mouth came into the kitchen after hearing her speak and they gathered around the table while Lindsey still stayed awkwardly standing.

'What do you mean?' Haley asked politely.

'The publishing company received word yesterday. The real reason I came down here today was to pass it on. They aren't going to be informing the public about this any time soon, and it's best that you guys-his family- finds out right away,' she spoke trying to sound sullen.

'What news?' Nathan asked, not buying it.

Lindsey reached into her purse and pulled out the photos she had received at her boardroom meeting, she placed them in the center of the table as gasps flew out.

Peyton's heart was speeding up; her hands felt clammy, seeing him like this, battered and worn down tore at her heart. The cuts, the bruises, the pain that seemed to be etched across his entire body scared her. She didn't want to be seeing this, she couldn't be seeing this, but at the same time she couldn't tear her eyes away from those photos.

'He's dead. All of them were confirmed dead,' Lindsey bluntly said allowing a stray tear to fall, hoping it'd be more believable.

'Derek said they were all alive not even a week ago, how can he be just dead?' Nathan gritted out, still not buying it.

'I was as shocked as you are Nathan, I'm sorry. I wish I was lying, but I'm not,' she lied.

Peyton silently excused herself, diving into one of Nathan and Haley's spare bedrooms. Once safely in the confines of the room she let her eyes just flow and flow and flow.

It felt as if she was dying, each heave brought her to face the fact that he no longer breathed. He was just gone, dust in the wind, nonexistent. How would she explain this to Jeremy when he got older, she herself had lost her mom at a fairly young age and it had deeply scarred her, but he wouldn't even ever get to meet his father. Ever. And he would have questions, lots of them. How was she expected to answer them when the mere image of those pictures would be imprinted in her mind?

Back in the kitchen everyone was silent, taking in the news and handling it in their individual ways. Brooke was leaning into Chase, her eyes closed and her breathing erratic. Nathan was glaring across at Lindsey, not fully believing her words. Haley was clutching at his chest shaking her head. Chris was silent, still staring at the spot that Peyton had just left. Skills almost fell over, but Mouth placed a hand on his back as they both tried to wrap their minds around those words.

_He's dead. _

'I'll uh, I'll just give you all a second,' Lindsey softly said as she used this for her opportunity to corner Peyton.

She stepped out of the kitchen and searched her way through the house until she spotted the woman she was looking for hunched over on the end of a bed.

She made herself noticed as she moved into the room and closed the door behind her, causing Peyton to glance up.

'You know, I don't really understand why you're so upset Peyton. I mean he was just your friend just like everyone else out there and none of them have gone off crying in empty bedrooms,' Lindsey coldly stated.

Peyton just stared at her. Who the hell did this chick think she was, telling her how much she's allowed to grieve? The man wrote a goddamned book about her.

'I really don't know what your problem is and why you came in here in the first place, but can you please just leave?'

'My problem? My problem is when fake blonde haired sluts sleep with my fiancée the first chance they get once I'm gone and get knocked up! Doesn't matter now those does it, since he's dead,' she shouted.

Peyton stared at her incredulously not knowing what to say.

'Maybe next time you don't want to get caught, you shouldn't leave pathetic goodbye letters sitting in plain daylight. You know what the best part is though? That morning he left, before he got on his flight, he called me up saying that he loved me oh so much and wanted to get married _first thing_ after his trip ended. Right after he stepped off the plane,' she laughed with mirth seeing the pain consuming Peyton's eyes.

'I don't believe you,' Peyton stammered.

'He did it once before Peyton, why wouldn't you believe he'd do it again? You never meant anything to him. He never cared about you and I guess he's no longer the only bastard in the Scott family! Isn't that the best part? The bastard ended up having his own bastard, like father like son,' she sneered standing inches away from Peyton.

Seconds later, Peyton was standing and her hand was contacting Lindsey's face at a fast rate, leaving a large mark across her cheek.

'Don't you ever, _ever_, talk about my son or Lucas that way. You heartless bitch! I don't understand why he ever went for such a manipulative, selfish person like you. Stay the hell away from me and my son,' Peyton was practically screaming as she slammed the door behind her and sauntered down the hallway, telling everyone she had to leave, and without looking back she ran down the steps of Nathan and Haley's house.

'What the hell just happened?' Brooke asked finding Lindsey alone in the room that Peyton had just stormed out of.

'I just was confronting her about some things and she got angered,' Lindsey shrugged trying to make it seem as if nothing serious happened.

'Don't pull that innocent crap on me. You accused her didn't you, you know about her child,' Brooke whispered in a low, dangerous tone.

'I just told her the truth.'

'What truth?'

'The truth that Lucas doesn't care for her; he was engaged to me for god's sake. He wouldn't want her, even if he was still alive and came back, he wouldn't' just drop everything for that kid. She unfairly seduced him, it's not his problem she got knocked up afterwards.'

'Get out now!' Brooke quickly yelled.

Lindsey help up her hands and left as asked. 'Stay away from all of us, you shrew!' Brooke was still yelling after her.

'Hey, hey Brooke. She's gone, calm down. What was all of that about?' Haley asked as she pulled Brooke back into the house and closed the door.

'That ugly manface just drove away my best friend and I doubt that she'll ever step foot in this town again now,' Brooke sighed frustrated as she sat down on the couch.

Deb had just returned from putting Jaime to sleep and looked around wildly at Haley after hearing the last part of what Brooke said. She went to sit on the couch by Haley and Haley caught her up on all that just went down.

Nathan soon left the house; he was going to find Peyton.

* * *

The screen was dark for a few seconds, seconds that seemed to last forever in Lucas' mind. He was hoping to see maybe a wedding or something to deal with Nathan's career or even Lily finally starting school. Most of all though, he was hoping to see her face, smiling or happy at least.

He wasn't expecting to see a taping of TRL and Jake Jagielski being interviewed. Why in the world was he being shown this video?

After a few minutes, long unending minutes if you asked him, of talking though, talking about some top-selling new album Jake had out, the interviewer requested his producer come out and he held his breath now understanding why they were showing this to him.

'That's her isn't it,' Wyatt lightly taped him on his shoulder grinning.

'Yeah, she's, she's so…'

'Beautiful,' Wyatt finished for him.

'Yeah,' Lucas never tore his eyes away from her smile; he wanted to soak up as much as he could. He couldn't remember the last time he saw her so happy, so glowing, so radiant. Then it dawned on him that maybe he was the reason she seemed lighter, he was just a major burden and hurt to her.

He actually started to feel angry when he saw Jake pull her into his side and leave his hand wrapped around her waist. Were they dating? Had she moved on? Had she forgotten all about him?

The interview went on for several more minutes, but Lucas didn't really hear anything that was said. He couldn't stop wondering if she and Jake were an item, if they were happy, if they lived together, if they woke up next to each other every morning. If they had what he had never truly given her.

He felt a tightening in his chest, it was taking a hold over all his thoughts, and he lurched forward feeling as if he couldn't breathe. His hands unconsciously found their way to clutch at his chest and he slightly fell back, feeling as if an intoxicating empty pressure that enveloped in the middle of him was overtaking his whole body.

Wyatt didn't really notice, but when he finally looked over he understood what was happening.

'Help! He's having a heart attack!' Wyatt yelled at the men standing near the front of the room.

They just ignored him.

'God dammit. He's having a fucking heart attack, he has a serious heart condition, are you just going to let him die!' Wyatt was frantically yelping and he grabbed one of the men by the collar and threw him into the wall.

That finally got their attention and two older guys rushed over, looking at each other as if they didn't know what to do.

Lucas was slowly, painfully, dying and there was no one standing by to help him. All he could think was that she was going to okay, she was happy without him, she had someone to care for her. That's all that mattered.

And then everything went black.


	8. Chapter 8

_AN: So I had to do a little research for certain parts in this so if any of my medical mentions aren't totally accurate or logical I'm sorry, but I think everything is close to okay. I didn't go making up some treatment or diagnosis or anything, I can assure you that. Enjoy. _

Chapter 8:

Anger is a raw emotion. It can be mild. It can be severe. It can be handled in a million different ways. It sometimes is ignored, held in for too long, but other times it's bursting, breathing to be let out as soon as it develops.

This was one of those times. Peyton Sawyer had spent the past year hiding, the past year holding back, trying to tell herself she'd be okay. Believing that she could just put those indestructible walls up and fake it.

Then Jeremy came. And he was amazing; he was a little miracle, but a silent reminder all the same.

And that ignorant witch had to swoop down on her when she finally felt as if she was getting on with her life and had to drop the nuclear bomb.

_He's dead. _

_They're all dead._

_You never meant anything to him._

_He loved me and wanted to get married right after he stepped off the plane._

_The bastard had a bastard._

What did Lucas even see in her? Would he really love Lindsey as much as he claimed if he heard her calling him that?

It was dark out and the temperature was starting to drop, but she wouldn't have noticed. She was on a mission and when she'd finally passed the cemetery's gates she slowed to a walk.

Taking in several long breaths, she finally stopped in front of where his name seemed to wait.

'You fucking asshole, you jerk!' She howled at the rock, kicking up the grass around it, the tears streaming steadily obscuring her vision.

'Did I really mean that little to you? Did you really hate me that much? Did I ever mean anything to you at all? Was I just your little fuck buddy, thought you could pretend to care so you could just get in my pants before you went without some for six months? How can you just do that and then call her the next day telling her what you said?' Peyton was now slouched against the stone, shaking uncontrollably.

'I hate you. I hate you so much. God, what am I supposed to tell our son? That he was a mistake, he wasn't intended, he was just the result of a one-night stand? I may have said that that night was a mistake, but not for one single fucking second did I believe that. I guess I should've,' she was crying, hating the words she was saying, but she didn't know what to believe in anymore. She actually thought that he cared for her, that it wasn't just sex that night so long ago, but like always Lucas knew how to hurt her even in the afterlife.

Her head was turned upward with her chin in the air, eyes closed, and her back resting on the marble, her hands tightly clutching tuffs of grass below her and her knees pressed to her chest.

'Peyton…'

She opened her eyes and couldn't see who, but a shadow stood before her. Suddenly she felt a weight beside her and a hand was placed in her own.

'I'm sorry, I had to get out of there, it was nothing against you or Haley.'

'Sawyer, I'm worried about you. What's been happening in the past year?'

'I've just got a lot going on Nate.'

'That's crap and we both know it,' Nathan squeezed her hand a little harder and Peyton swallowed deeply.

'I, I can't, it doesn't matter Nate. I just can't stay in this town and I don't know long it'll be till that changes.'

'I don't believe her,' he slowly spoke looking at the tree in front of them.

'Don't believe who?'

'Lindsey. He's not dead,' Nathan gritted out.

'Those photos were pretty convincing…'

'He's not dead. He can't be. If he was I wouldn't still feel him here,' Nathan gestured to his chest, his voice shifting.

'Don't tell me you don't feel it too,' he continued on searching her face.

'I don't know what to believe anymore, my hearts been dragged through the mud so many times. It's not like I ever mattered to him anyways,' she muttered so quietly he barely heard it.

'Is that what you really think Peyton? That he never cared? The guy wrote a whole book about you.'

'And that was before he broke my heart multiple times.'

'Oh come on. We both know that even before he left, you were always the one. No matter how many times he repeatedly lied saying he loved Lindsey. He wasn't ever the same after you two ended things,' Nathan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his chest.

'He did love her though Nathan, he was even engaged to her. Not me.'

'What did she say to you?'

'What do you mean?

'Lindsey, Brooke went in screaming at her and tossed her out of our house right after you left. I've never seen Brooke that delirious.'

'Nothing. It doesn't matter. I have to go,' Peyton made to move from his arms and stood.

'Peyton. Don't leave. You can't keep doing this!'

'I'm sorry Nathan. You just don't understand and I don't want you to,' she was briskly walking away now and he was racing to keep up with her.

'Stop,' he was now standing in front of her, both hands on her shoulders.

'Nathan-'

'No. Just hear me out for one second. And then you can go.'

She just stared at him, eventually nodding.

'Sawyer, you are my best friend. I love you, Haley loves you, and we will always be here for you no matter what. And whatever it is that's keeping you from here, whatever you're hiding from doesn't need to be hidden because we will always be by your side and we won't judge. And I understand that you have to go, but you can't stay there forever because it's killing me here without you. I can't lose both of you,' tears were streaming down his face as he rambled off to her in a shaky scared voice.

She couldn't really speak, her throat hurt, knowing how much pain she was putting him through and she desperately wanted to tell him the truth, but she just couldn't. Instead she collapsed into his arms and they stood there tightly hugging for what seemed hours.

'Someday soon, I'll return,' she whispered into his ear and slightly pulled back.

'Promise?'

'I promise. I just really have to go Nate. I'm sorry. Tell Haley and Jaime goodbye for me. I'll miss you,' she kissed him on the cheek quickly as one stray tear rolled down her face and walked away from him, not looking back. God, she really needed to stop doing that.

Walking away was the worst.

Nathan watched after her, praying that this time she wouldn't stay a stranger for a whole year, that she'd come back and come back for good. And then when she was out of his sight, he made his own descent and gloomily walked home.

* * *

'Well are you idiots going to do anything?' Wyatt was screeching at the two men who sat beside Lucas, just staring at him as he writhed on the floor.

Suddenly the door to the room flew open and several guards walked in taking the other eight men back to their holdings, and a tall burly man who seemed to be in charge crouched next to Wyatt.

'What do you know about his heart condition?'

'HCM. He's had it since he was 17. He took pills everyday to keep the muscles from thickening and he hasn't had any the whole time we've been here. The stress must have finally caught up to him,' Wyatt spoke hurriedly.

'We have to take him to a hospital,' the man sighed looking at the other two guys. He ordered them to lift him and they started carrying Lucas down a dark corridor, Wyatt being pulled by the burly man to follow after them.

Once the corridor ended they turned right and Wyatt was directed into a roughly built type of garage where a car was waiting. They lifted Lucas into the back, putting down all the seats so he was lying flat and they allowed Wyatt to sit next to him as the men got into the front and started driving.

'Wy..Wya…Wy…At…' Lucas gurgled.

'Yeah?'

'Peyt...love…her,' his eyes started to glaze over and Wyatt gripped his hand.

'Yeah I'll tell her. Don't worry. She loves you too Luke. She loves you; you need to stay alive for her. Don't quit now.'

Lucas didn't respond, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and suddenly Wyatt didn't feel his pulse anymore.

Oh shit. This couldn't be happening.

'Are we close?' Wyatt spoke up at the men driving.

'About 10-15 miles.'

Wyatt slightly cursed under his breath and peered back down at the man who seemed to be a goner. They were going to need a miracle; Lucas was going to need a huge miracle.

Wyatt really didn't want to think about Lucas just being gone. How would he survive by himself? How long would it be till he breathed his own last breath? Lucas was like a brother, a younger brave wise brother. And Wyatt had experienced enough death in his own life; losing Lucas would be too much.

He decided to look out the windows and was surprised at how far they actually were from the base camp they'd started at. He knew the area well; he'd been deployed to this specific part of the world several times and had a pretty good idea at exactly where they were.

If only he could just jump out the back and run to safety.

* * *

'So you going to tell me what happened?'

'Jake….he's dead,' she closed her eyes as he stared at her disbelievingly.

'He's dead? How-'

'We were all sitting around in the kitchen and Lindsey came out of nowhere and pulled out these photos, god they were sickening, and she just said the company was informed. Apparently they're all dead,' she was sobbing now and he reached out to her.

'She knows Jake.'

'About…'

'Yeah and she had the nerve to corner me about, she called him a…she called him a _bastard,' _Peyton was shaking her head vehemently now and Jake's shirt was quickly becoming soaked with her tears.

Jake cursed and then reeled back, holding her forearms.

'She's just a jealous bitter woman. You know Lucas would never think that, you know that and-'

'He called her that morning he left. The night after we were together. He told her that he wanted to marry her right away after he stepped off that plane, just like he proposed to her after kissing me. He used me Jake, he fucking used me again,' she interjected and her eyes turned dark, filling with betrayal or maybe anger or resentment, Jake wasn't sure which.

'Did she tell you that? You can't seriously believe her.'

'It's not like it matters what I believe now. He's never coming back, it's probably better off he never knew about Jeremy. He never loved me,' she knew deep down that she was only saying these things out of rage and that if she could just have him back, see him one more time, hear his gravelly voice again, watch him stuff both his hands in his front pockets as he did so often when he was nervous, she would still love him no matter what. No matter if he'd called Lindsey or not.

'Peyton-'

'Look, can we just go?' She cut him off and he silently agreed as he followed her to her car.

Peyton had drove down to Savannah right after leaving Nathan and stayed with Jake at his parents' house. She had arrived late in the night and hadn't explained what had happened, that was until now right as they headed to the airport.

All Jake could think on their drive to the airport was those two words he really didn't want to ever hear, ever have Peyton hear.

_He's dead. _

And that was obviously already taking a huge toll on her. She was talking all sorts of crazy, saying things he knew that she didn't believe in. Putting up a false front, she was simply lying to help her through the pain.

And he was going to be the one responsible for helping her through it.

* * *

'We need your help.'

'Wait, you guys are actually asking for _my_ help?'

Haley just stared straight at him, her face staying serious.

'Yeah, Keller we aren't joking,' Nathan cut in.

'Okay...'

'We need you to go to Los Angeles.'

'I'm not following?'

'Peyton. I can't believe we are asking but we need you to snoop on her.'

'Are you guys seriously okay? I am talking to Nathan and Haley James Scott right? No, no I'm finally punk'd aren't I? Chris Keller has been waiting years to appear on that show,' he jumped off the stool pretending to scan the kitchen for any hidden cameras.

'We're not joking Chris,' Haley kept on staring at him.

'Why do you need to snoop on her, you guys are friends right? From what I've picked up on over the years, friends don't snoop on other friends.'

'Look. Peyton hasn't been doing so well and she's purposefully keeping something from us, we don't know what but she is because Brooke isn't telling us anything and she obviously knows something we don't. We figured maybe you could go and visit her, use the excuse that you're there for the label or something and maybe fill us in,' Nathan explained with an air of hurt.

'And you two are being serious here?'

'Yes,' they both responded.

'Well, it just so happens that I'm preparing for a tour along the West Coast, so I guess you have yourselves a trusty Keller detective,' he smirked.

'I guess I should probably go and buy a trench coat and pipe maybe even find a pair of glasses,' he continued on enjoying their discomfort.

'Don't push it man,' Nathan scowled at him.

'Actually, Keller has places to be and people to meet with. I'll be leaving tomorrow, probably arrive in two days and I promise to alert my lovely sidekick couple in the meantime. Later,' he was slightly laughing as he left leaving Nathan and Haley eyeing each other.

'I swear every time I see him, the urge to just punch his precious face seems to increase,' Nathan started staring after the door he just left.

Haley just chuckled and then went upstairs to get ready for work.

* * *

'He's crashing, get the cart!'

'We're going to have to open the blocked arteries.'

'He needs oxygen.'

'Let's take him to the OR now.'

'Is the specialist prepared?'

Doctors were swarming around Lucas as soon as they had arrived through the doors. It was all a whirl to Wyatt and he was amazed at how fast they moved. He was ordered to wait in the waiting room and was monitored at all times, by one of the drivers.

One nurse had attempted to give him aid, noticing the many cuts and lacerations that covered Wyatt's arms and legs, but his 'bodyguard' leered her away. She suspected something very out of the ordinary with the entire group of men when they'd arrived but she held off.

That was until the attending physician working the late night shift with her, voiced identical suspicions out loud.

'Is it just me, or does something seem really sketchy about all of them?' The young resident quietly asked her, pretending to be checking his charts.

'I was thinking the same. When I went to help that sickly man over there, the guy sitting next to him told me to leave them alone and the man looked helpless, like he was being held against his own will.'

'We need to talk with him, I'll be right back,' the doctor left her side and briskly stood in front of Wyatt.

'Are either of you personally familiar with um, Mr. Scott?' He professionally asked glancing at the clipboard he held.

'We're pretty close,' Wyatt managed.

'So would you be able to possibly help me answer some questions pertaining to his medical history? It's incredibly necessary info we need to gather, it shouldn't take long.'

Wyatt slowly turned to the guard and held his breath until the man reluctantly agreed, sending one final glare at the doctor.

Wyatt then faced the doctor again and nodded as he stood and followed him down a short hall into an office.

'You have to help me,' Wyatt was speedily demanding as soon as the door behind them closed.

'Who are you?'

'My name is Wyatt…Wyatt Hensley. Lucas and I, we've been taken hostage for over a year now, we were on a writing assignment and captured,' he shortly recalled, trying to calm his nerves, feeling as if they may have finally found their escape.

'You mean, you mean your those guys. The ones that went missing.'

'Yes. I, I can't go back there. You, you have to help!' Wyatt was turning delirious.

'Hey, everything's going to be okay. Lucas obviously won't be able to leave for at least a week and we'll request that we need you here every step of the way. In the meantime, I'll contact the authorities. There actually is a task force; we'll get you through this. I'll have nurses monitor you every second, you won't be able to leave,' the doctor assured.

He expertly picked up the phone on the desk and dialed some numbers before hastily recalling what Wyatt just told him.

After a few minutes, he hung up. 'They're forming a group and planning on surrounding the hospital, they should arrive in two days. I'll keep you updated, but for now you better go back, that way that man doesn't get worried.'

Wyatt was shaking, but he nodded moving to the door.

'Hey. It's going to be alright.'

And then Wyatt left and sat back down, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary just happened. The man was dozing off beside him, but Wyatt was still anxious and fretting. Freedom might be close.

* * *

Peyton was brooding. She was broodier than normal. She was the queen of brooding and unfortunately her accompanying king was dead. Or so, that's what she thought.

It had been a few days since she left with Jake from Savannah and from the moment she stepped foot back in California, she'd locked herself away in her room. Shutting all the blinds, ignoring her phone, and most importantly torturing herself with his book, rereading specific passages.

She did though take care of Jeremy. Rocking him to sleep every night, calming him while he was crying, playing with him several hours of the day.

He was the only thing from losing herself completely and for that she'd be forever grateful.

A knock on her door in the middle of the afternoon alerted her and she was unsure of who it could be. Brooke was back in New York, Mia was on tour, and Jake was out of town for a few days promoting his new album.

'Chris?'

'Blondie, it's great to see you too,' he sent her a smarmy smile.

'What, what are you doing here?'

'Well I was in the neighborhood and wanted to know what your thoughts on that demo I gave you were. You have listened to it?'

'Actually, I haven't.'

Chris seemed to be taken aback, feeling a little hurt, but he quickly shrugged it off and pushed past her into her apartment.

'Nice place you got here.'

'Come on in Keller, take your time, explore my place Keller, I would love to sit down and share a cup a tea, maybe catch up,' she sarcastically muttered under her breath. He was being a little intrusive and she really needed to get back to Jeremy.

'So L.A huh? You like it here, better than that lovely hometown all your friends seem to rave on and on about?'

'Yeah, it's fine. What do you really want Chris? I'm actually really busy,' she bluntly replied.

'Busy huh? Doing what, holing yourself away, hiding from the world? You look like a mess, no offense,' he noted taking in her bedhead and sweats.

'I am not hiding,' she defensively snapped at him.

'Right. And I help save puppies at animal shelters in my free time.'

'Okay, maybe I am, but what does it matter?'

'Well-' a soft wailing from one of her rooms made him cut his thought off shortly and send her a puzzling look.

'Hold on, I'll be right back,' she tensed and ran off to the room, Chris following her.

She picked up Jeremy from his crib and cradled him to her chest, slightly swaying, whispering calming words.

'Hey baby boy, it's alright, I'm here.'

He immediately seemed to stop his crying and resumed a slumber. She was thankful he did, not wanting Keller to see his eyes, eyes that would give everything away.

'You have a kid?' Chris sputtered out, as she set Jeremy back in his crib and followed her back to where they were sitting.

'I'm babysitting, he's my neighbor's kid,' she lied, hating that she did.

'Oh, I'm sorry, I just assume-'

'It's fine.'

'Well you seem to be doing a good job, I've never seen any kid pacified that fast.'

'Thanks. He's a great little boy, he's usually pretty calm,' she smiled at him for the first time since he arrived.

A silence seemed to pass over them and after a few moments Chris finally remembered why he was here in the first place.

'So what'd that bat say to you that had you flying back here so quickly?'

'It was nothing, I was, I was just upset.'

'Oh come on. That wasn't just anything; do you not realize you are talking to one of the best liars you will ever meet? You can't fool me,' he smirked.

She rolled her eyes at him. 'Let's just call it unfinished business. She uh, she found a letter I left at um, you know Luke's house a long time ago. It doesn't matter,' her eyes started to water, but she swiftly brushed the tears away.

'Ah. Well if it makes you feel any better, you totally ranked higher than her on the Keller Scale,' he joked.

'The Keller Scale?'

'The Keller Scale, it's very precise. Quite impossible to reach the top level, but you and Brooke have managed to come close.'

'Oh my god. Never mind, I really don't want to know,' she shook her head laughing.

'It's time for the Keller to go. Listen to that mix tape, I promise you, you'll like it,' he seriously stated, surprising her.

'I will,' she nodded.

'It was nice seeing you Blondie, give me a ring when you finally realize you want to have my greatness representing your label,' he nonchalantly called over his shoulder as he left.

She sat for a few more moments wondering what just exactly happened, and then she went back to sit with Jeremy. Holding him in her arms as she feel asleep in her bed.

Meanwhile Chris was sitting in his car, a few blocks away calling Nathan.

'Any news?' Nathan went off as soon as he answered.

'Well I don't know if it'll help, but she mentioned a letter.'

'A letter?'

'Yeah, apparently she left some letter at Lucas' house sometime ago, probably a long time ago and I'm guessing Lindsey found it. That's what caused her to storm out, something to do with that letter.'

'Okay thanks Chris. I owe you,' Nathan sighed.

'No problem. She seemed kind of off, I understand why you guys are so worried.'

'Thanks, well I've got to go, bye,' Nathan closed his phone and sat back in his chair in the coach's office at Tree Hill High.

'Was that Chris Keller you were just talking to?' Skills asked raising his eyebrows from his place across from Nathan.

'Yeah, something's come up. I'll be back for practice though,' Nathan rose, grabbed his coat, and left.

He was going to Luke's house. He really wanted to believe this letter might still be there.

* * *

The doctor was walking towards him; he'd been sitting in the same waiting room for the past two hours, waiting anxiously to hear how Luke was doing.

One doctor had explained to them that they needed to give Luke angioplasty, a non-surgical procedure that opens the blocked coronary arteries. They said it'd take between half an hour up to three hours and the procedure would most likely be successful.

'Everything went well; we've put him on some blood thinners and beta-blockers. We'll have to keep him here for the next few days, and after that he'll need to keep up with the medication and we usually recommend cardiac rehab,' the doctor addressed Wyatt and the three other brawny men.

'That's going to be a problem doctor, he can't stay here for long,' one man firmly responded, not seeming too happy about the news.

'It's protocol. If we release him too soon, he's just as likely to experience another attack and next time the results will probably be deadly.'

The man grumbled and walked off with the other two following behind. Wyatt's bodyguard stayed in the area though.

'When can I see him?' Wyatt asked.

'In about an hour, he's still on some pretty strong painkillers; he won't be fully awake till then. Can I have a word with you for a moment though?' His question being more directed at the man who was eyeing Wyatt.

The guy regretfully agreed and Wyatt followed the same doctor he had talked to earlier in the day. They entered the same office and the doctor rambled off as quickly as he had closed the door behind him.

'Summers has prepared a mission. They are going to be departing soon. In the meantime we have a lockdown for the hospital scheduled in about a day's time, but for now this entire ward has been blocked off. Everything's going to be okay,' the doctor informed.

Wyatt exhaled greatly and felt his optimism return. He slumped back in the chair he was seated at before standing up and tightly hugging the doctor.

Wyatt was releasing the doctor just as abruptly as he had hugged the man and was moving back to where he was sitting.

Then the door to the doctor's office burst open and the man who seemed to be watching Wyatt appeared and raised a gun to the doctor's head.

'Come with me, or I shoot him!' The man demanded at Wyatt.

The doctor turned to face Wyatt and looked like a deer caught in headlights. Wyatt felt himself rising and reluctantly he followed his guard, throwing a terrified glance at the doctor, all color drained from his face.

The doctor called security from his desk and then hurried after them. The three burly men seemed to be moving to the exit, dragging Wyatt with them, as if they'd been tipped off on what was happening.

No one dared to stop them as they hoisted three weapons in front of them, daring any one in their way.

The doctor frantically looked over at his nurse and she pointed to the television that was on. Some news channel had leaked the info, saying that the task force was hurrying off to a foreign hospital.

'Damn it!' The doctor yelled kicking over a water cooler and then rushing off to Scott's room, hoping he was still there.

* * *

Lucas' house was just as he remembered it. It felt homely, pictures lined the walls several being memories from high school.

Nathan walked to the kitchen first, figuring if anyone leaves a letter they leave it on the table or probably in his room and after finding nothing, he slowly made his way to Luke's room.

Dust was starting to form on all the woodwork in the room, but nothing seemed out of place. Nathan scanned over his dresser first, nothing.

He sat at the desk that faced the bed and was disappointed to find nothing, although one of Peyton's sketches was laying face down in the bottom of the last drawer.

As a last resort, he decided to go through Luke's files on his laptop, maybe it wasn't a handwritten letter, maybe it was an email or document or something.

He really hated being nosy, obliterating Lucas' privacy, but he was desperate. After deciding there was no letter to be found, he opted to end his search.

Then his eyes landed on something he hadn't taken notice to before. It was a document, a large sized document labeled '_completed-manuscript'. _

Nathan opened the file and was surprised to find out it was several hundred pages long. He checked the date on the file and realized it was created around the time Lucas had proposed to Lindsey and was last edited about a week before he left on his writing assignment.

He scrolled to the bottom and read the last line, making sure it was finished.

It was.

He needed to show Haley, so he closed the laptop, picked it up, and rushed out of the house, driving back to the school.

He was outside her classroom less than ten minutes later and charged into her room yelling.

'Hales! You have to s-' it was then he realized she still had a class and 25 pairs of eyes seemed to be watching him.

He checked his watch. There was twenty minutes left in the day. He really couldn't wait that long.

'Uh, I mean, Mrs. Scott, can I talk to you for a second?'

She smiled at his nervousness and then addressed her class. 'Why don't you guys get together in your groups and start working on your semester project, I'll be back in one moment.'

'Sorry about that,' Nathan began after they stepped out and the door was closed behind her.

'It's cool. What's up?'

'So, Keller called me, told me that the reason Peyton left was because of some letter she left at Luke's house. So I went to his house, hoping that it might still be there.'

'So…you found it?'

'No, not the letter, but I went through his laptop, I didn't want to, but you have to see what I found.'

He opened the computer and pulled up the manuscript, handing it to Haley.

'Whoa, wait, was he writing a new book?'

'That's what I'm guessing, and he finished it.'

'I had no clue he was writing then,' Haley went on as her eyes started scanning all the words in front of her.

'You should read it. See if it's good, then maybe, maybe we could get it published, kind of be like a send off to him,' Nathan thought.

'Yeah. He'd, he'd want us to,' Haley sadly smiled up at him. She closed the computer and handed it back to him.

'I have to get back, tonight when I come home I'll read it. I'm sure it's great,' she felt her eyes glistening over and Nathan pulled her in for a hug.

'Okay, I'll see you then,' he kissed her forehead and smiled wanly as she regained composure and walked back into her classroom.

* * *

The doctor grabbed the door handle hard, his knuckles going white, and forced himself to enter the room.

He took a few tentative steps, head bowed, until he finally dared to face the worst possible outcome.

The bed was empty.

The monitors were no longer humming steadily.

Luke's medication that was last left on the bedside tray was all gone.

The sheets were ruffled, dark boot marks remaining on the linoleum floor.

The doctor ran his hand through his hair, knowing full well he had majorly screwed up. And he had failed Mr. Hensley just as fast as he had given him hope.

And soon enough a group of strategic and well-prepared men would be barging through the doors believing that this would all soon be over. That all their months of hard work were finally going to pay off.

Why in the hell hadn't he had security watching Scott's door? Watching the whole ward for a matter of fact? How had those men managed to slip weapons into the building anyway?

This was his entire fault, or at least he told himself that. And Lucas, Lucas Scott just had a stent placed in his incredibly feeble heart and would need days to come back from something like that. Not an unprecedented, hasty abduction.

The doctor full of rage at himself, left the room slamming the door behind him and rushed back down to the main lobby.

Today was the day that the ten missing men who had been unheard of from the rest of the world in over a year had the very opportunity to see their lives back and in the matter of only a few hours, that all had vanished.

And everything seemed to have gone back to square one, but in reality they were all the more closer to the end.

* * *

_AN: So I mentioned linoleum up there, which got me singing Linoleum, which got me even more in the Leyton feels. Ahh, Leyton feels. If you don't ship Leyton (which I don't understand if you're actually reading this story) then something is wrong is with you. _

_So I'm probably just talking to myself here, but if anyone's actually still reading this, as in this story in general, I am so appreciative. Message me or review or follow or just stay quiet or stop reading whatever. But feedback is always, always valued._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

Haley had just come home from the school and picking up Jaime. She set her purse on the kitchen counter and let her shoulders slump as she took a seat. Nathan walked in not too long after and sat next to her, setting Luke's computer down in front of her.

'You really think we should do this?'

'Of course we should. Haley, you knew him best, wouldn't you think he'd want you to do this?'

'Yeah, he probably would. I'm just kind of scared, here's something he did that no one knows about that he probably put so much of himself into and now he won't…he won't be around to live it, live his passion,' she sighed, looking away, she still was having trouble coming to terms with the fact that he was dead.

It hadn't set in yet and she constantly had to keep reminding herself that he wouldn't just come walking into their home one day being found, that he wasn't just gone temporarily but permanently.

Her best friend wasn't alive, she just couldn't believe it, or she didn't want to. This though would make her believe and part of her was afraid of that day. The day she'd have to completely let go of him.

'Hales…' Nathan opened his arms and she quickly was in his embrace, her head resting on his chest, tears slowly starting to soak his t-shirt.

Jaime walked into the kitchen then and stopped on his way to the refrigerator staring blankly at his mother crying in his father's arms.

'Why's mom sad?'

Nathan and Haley both looked down at him and smiled sadly, they hadn't relied the information Lindsey told them to him yet.

'Jaime, we-'

'She just had a long day bud, nothing to worry about,' Nathan interjected Haley and plastered a smile on his face. Haley stared at him questioningly but didn't speak.

'Why don't you go play for awhile, we have to talk for a bit?' Jaime just nodded and went back up the stairs to his room.

'Nathan we have to tell him.'

'No. Not until I talk to Derek. Not until this is all one hundred percent truth. I don't really want anyone beside Derek to tell him either.'

'One hundred percent truth?'

'I don't trust her.'

'Nathan, are you being serious? She was engaged to the man, why would she lie?'

'Don't you find it odd how she just ended up finding Peyton when she said she was giving us all a moment? And how Peyton just left?'

'That doesn't mean she would lie though; lie to all of us about something that serious. You saw those pictures Nate, and…' she shook her head trying to rid the image from her mind before continuing on.

'I know this is hard for you Nathan and I know that you don't want to accept this, but at some point you have to. We all knew this was a possibility, that it was somewhat an inevitable outcome and-'

'He's not dead.'

'Nathan-'

'No! I don't understand how you can all just sit by and believe that he is. What if it was me Haley, what if I was the one gone and she told you all I was dead. Would you just go with it and not question it? Would you just abandon all hope and move on?'

He started pacing their kitchen, his arms drawn taut to his sides.

'What are you not telling me?' Haley asked seeing the look of contemplation growing over him with each step he took.

He looked up, wide-eyed, knowing that he would have to tell her now. No way of backing out of this one.

He sighed, stopped pacing and sat himself across from her, crossing his arms in front of him.

And then he told her, told her the one secret he'd been keeping from every single person in his life for over a whole year. It shouldn't have been kept secret; he knew that, he just never had a real reason to tell anyone until now.

* * *

They were blindfolded and back in the same place they'd been for the past year. Well Wyatt was at least; he had no clue where they had taken Lucas.

After being forced back into the vehicle they arrived in and handcuffed to the door, they drove in silence to captivity. Once the car stopped was about the time Wyatt was separated from Luke and was thrown back into their usual cell alone.

So here he was, sitting, thinking, worrying.

Wyatt knew how much danger they were forcing on Lucas, he knew how Lucas couldn't help that he had a heart condition in the first place, he knew that Lucas hadn't deliberately meant to have a heart attack, he knew all these things and yet part of him was infuriated.

Infuriated at the world, at himself, at Lucas, at the whole stupid assignment that had sealed their fate for the last year.

Why do bad people do bad things, why do good people do good things, why does anything happen to anyone, why did this happen to him?

And what came next after this whole thing? Wyatt was incredibly scared, he was totally hopeless, and he was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that he'd gone outside.

He'd seen daylight once again.

He had come into contact with other people out in the real world.

_Out in the real world._

He'd been witnessed and he'd been identified.

And sadly, the part that was hard to come to terms with was that life had gone seamlessly on without the lot of them. Everyone keep on their daily routines, everyone else breathed freedom and lived carefree.

He shook his head. He couldn't think like that, of course someone out there still cared. Of course the world kept turning and people did, as they needed to do. Of course they weren't forgotten.

They weren't forgotten and that's all that mattered, second only to escaping.

He was thrown out of his reverie when the soft clicking of the door sounded and a mobile bed was rolled in, Lucas lying unconsciously atop it.

Two men were pushing the bed and another man, Wyatt recognized him as the guy that had cut their hair off, was following close behind to the other men and didn't say a word until he informed the bed pushers to leave.

They left and as soon as they had, the man walked up to Lucas and glanced him over carefully before facing his attention to Wyatt.

'He's in a real vulnerable state and it's extremely crucial we take special notice to him. I gave him a few sleeping pills only a few hours ago and within the next few hours he should be waking up,' the doctor started.

'In the meantime I'll be staying here with you both for the next few days and hopefully by then you'll both figure out the type of dosing he needs and how to adjust to his condition,' he continued on and then sat down next to Wyatt, exhaling a loud elongated sigh.

'So what you're really saying is they've locked you in here with us until he seems to be under control?' Wyatt scrutinized the guy.

'Basically,' the man laughed uncertainly, ironically he'd get a taste of this wretched way of living that he at one point so many months ago had assisted in.

'So who are you exactly?'

'Dr. Salem, just call me Salem.'

Wyatt just silently nodded; not really knowing how to feel about the figure besides him, the man wasn't exactly friendly when they'd first met.

'Look I want you to know I'm sorry for what happened last time, I was forced-'

'I don't want an apology and I definitely don't want your pity. Just keep Lucas alive and keep quiet the rest of the time,' Wyatt cut him off.

'Okay…I guess I deserved that, but what if I told you a way to get you out of here?'

'Yeah, like you'd want to help us,' Wyatt sneered sarcastically.

'I do. You may not trust me, but I understand your pain, the pain of being locked away and tortured in this place every second. When I was a child my mom died and I was left to live with my deadbeat dad who loved to drink and push me down the stairs every single night. I ended up in the hospital way too often and it was the only escape I had, it's why I became a doctor, and I never wanted to be in the position I was in not too long ago. I know it doesn't mean much, but I can help you all. I can save you,' Dr. Salem quietly explained, his expression solemn and serious.

'You really just believe it's that easy? That you can just say 'hey let's get out of here' and everything will end well?' Wyatt looked at the man in total disbelief.

'It's not easy, but they let me in on their upcoming plans and with that knowledge, I know the answer to getting out of here.'

Wyatt seemed to let it all sink in for some time and stared blankly in front of him before facing the doctor once again.

'When we went to the hospital I was given total assurance that we'd be saved and yet somehow we're back here again. And they had a whole team already prepared and coming. Whatever _the answer _is I doubt you'd be the one to hold it.'

'Why don't you just let me explain, tell you everything I know, and then you can decide for yourself?'

Wyatt shook his head and closed his eyes before finally giving in.

'Go on,' he murmured.

* * *

Nathan strolled into the bathroom and changed before climbing into bed next to his wife after just recently tucking Jaime in.

It wasn't until he flipped on the television and was scanning the channels that he heard a soft sob being emitted from Haley's mouth.

He turned toward her and realized she was still reading Luke's manuscript, or at most she'd finished it.

'Haley?'

She wiped at her tears and smiled at him. 'I'm fine, it's just…its great Nathan.'

'What is it about?'

'A scientist and a comet. It's about longing and hope and waiting, it's practically this intense love story. I think he was writing about Peyton, even if he didn't realize it.'

'A comet huh? Wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Peyton drove a Comet?' He raised his eyebrows at her.

'Oh my gosh,' her eyes widened at him and he couldn't help but laugh at how surprised she was.

'It's not that shocking Hales. Somewhere deep down you knew that he still loved her, it's always been Peyton.'

'If he did then why did he ever propose to Lindsey?'

'You know the answer to that one, he was simply afraid. Typical Lucas move, hiding from his heart and going down the easy guaranteed path,' he casually responded.

'We have to get this published. Maybe it'll convince her to come back.'

'You think a book is just going to bring her home?'

'Well maybe not, but who knows. We need to show it to someone though, we can't just keep this to ourselves.'

'We play the Knicks in a few days, I'll visit the company while I'm in town.'

Haley nodded and then put Luke's computer on her nightstand.

'I'm guessing you won't be talking to Lindsey though?' Haley eyed Nathan.

'Not after she made Peyton flee town. I'll just request a different editor or something. I know Lucas wouldn't mind who edited it as long as it just got published, but after everything I don't want her helping with any of this,' he sighed and then flipped the tv off.

A few days later, Nathan was seated in a stiff brown chair outside the office of a senior editor at the Putnam and Pratt book publishing company. He'd arrived at the building not too long ago and was immediately allowed to see someone after mentioning that he was Lucas Scott's brother.

The door before him finally opened and a man who was a few years older than Nathan dressed in a business suit appeared and introduced himself.

'I'm Brad Everret it's a pleasure to meet you,' the editor extended his hand which Nathan took after standing.

Brad motioned Nathan to follow him into the office and sat himself down in front of a large mahogany desk that was littered with papers. Nathan took one of the plush leather seats that faced the desk soon after.

'So if I'm correct you're Nathan Scott, Lucas' brother?'

'Right,' Nathan nodded.

'Well let me be the first to say we all here at the company were extremely fond of your brother and his work. It's a tragedy what happened.'

'Yeah, all of us that were close to him are still struggling, but it's gotten better,' Nathan dourly stated.

'I'm sure. Now may I ask why exactly you're here today?'

'Uh yeah, right of course. I was visiting his house the other day, searching for some things and I sort of stumbled upon his laptop and found a manuscript that Lucas had written before the trip. It's several hundred pages long and it's completed,' Nathan handed the computer over to the man and opened the exact file he was talking about.

'Wow, we had no idea he had been writing.'

'We didn't either, so I had my wife who was Luke's best friend growing up read through it, seeing as she's a teacher and all, and she thought it was great.'

'Wasn't Lindsey Strauss his editor, why are you seeing me?'

'I um, wanted… an impartial view. Lindsey and him had a relationship and she would most likely put it through no matter what, I just want to be absolutely certain it's good material,' Nathan said rather too quickly after searching for an answer to the question thrown at him.

'So you want me to give it a look over and you'd be okay with us publishing it if we wanted?'

'That's exactly why I came, and we figured it be sort of a memoriam to him, his last movement. He'd put all of his work into this and it'd be a shame if it just went to waste.'

'His last movement?' The man's brow furrowed deeply and he turned his attention up to Nathan from the computer he was staring at through their entire conversation.

'Yeah, now that he's passed. I never really thought the day would come that, that he'd have… _posthumously_ scrawled across the title of his work,' Nathan quietly choked out.

The man instantly closed the lid of Luke's computer after hearing Nathan, slid his chair around, pulled up an email on his own laptop, and set it down directly in front of Nathan.

Nathan didn't really understand and stared at the man for several seconds before stretching forward and allowing his eyes to peer over the words on the screen.

It was dated two days prior and briefly described in simpleton terms that a sighting and confirmation of the hostages from a local hospital had a task force led by Derek Summers rushing overseas and forming a plan only to have it go to waste as the men were gone from said hospital as soon as the rescue team had arrived. The email had a series of contacts listed that the message was sent to and it was officially sent out from Derek himself.

Nathan felt like a train had hit him. His eyes grew immensely in size and he forced himself to reread the email several times to be certain his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. He finally glanced up and arched his eyebrows at Mr. Everret.

'He's not dead Nathan, he's still alive and they are closer than ever,' Brad spoke softly and returned his computer back to its original spot.

Nathan just continued on staring absently. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose before speaking.

'I uh, I'm sorry,' he breathed out quickly and then continued on, finally composing himself.

'So will you look it over Mr. Everret, my wife was in tears after reading it and I really think it'll be something your company would love to have it's name on?'

'Of course, I'm sure it's got potential. In the meantime I'll call you on my decision and keep you posted. If you don't mind me asking, why did you think he was dead?'

'We, my family, we were all informed one night that he and all the other men were. I guess our informant didn't have all their facts right,' he gritted out wondering why the hell Lindsey had done that to all of them.

Brad just nodded and then said, 'I can keep you updated with official record if you'd like, I'd hate to think that you and all of Luke's family would be wrongly withheld accurate information. He deserves better.'

'That'd actually be great,' Nathan slightly smiled at the man and rose before shaking hands with him once again.

'My pleasure.'

'Lindsey Strauss wouldn't happen to be in today would she?'

'I think today she is reviewing a bunch of new material. Her office is straight down the hallway, second door on the left,' the man was thrown off guard by Nathan's question, but didn't dare ask him of his motives. He simply nodded and watched as Nathan politely left and walked away.

When Nathan reached her door, he hesitantly knocked two times and waited.

'Come in,' she half shouted.

Nathan wasn't exactly sure what he planned on saying, but he knew it was going to be anything but pretty.

After a few sighs he allowed his fingers to curl around the door handle and drag himself to be standing in the middle of her quaint office.

She was on the phone in the middle of a conversation and without looking up she held up one finger signaling that she'd be just a moment as she furiously was writing on a pad of paper.

Nathan used the opportunity to sit down and mull over in his head what needed to be said.

Several minutes later she set the phone down and finally raised her head to face the glare of someone she never in a million years expected to be sitting only a few feet away from her in her office.

'Nathan…uh, what exactly are you doing here?'

'Why'd you lie to us?'

'What, I don't-'

'Why did you deliberately go out of your way at my son's birthday party to falsely inform us that Lucas was dead when that obviously wasn't the truth?' He spat out.

'Nathan, look, at the time that _was_ the truth, I know it's not fair that no one has relied to you guys that things have changed but-'

'That was never the truth and we both know that. You went out of your way for what? So you could hurt all of us? So you could hurt Peyton? Just because you are mad at Luke still and carry resentment towards him, that gives you the right to lie to us?' His eyes were burning into her and he had no intention whatsoever to just let her off the hook.

'Why would I have resentment towards him? I was engaged to him Nathan, I was there at his funeral, and I grieved _too_. I was in just as much pain as you,' she lowly fired back.

'You weren't though. Sure you may have been hurting, but from something else entirely,' as he said that her eyes went wide and she looked as if she'd been slapped.

'Lucas told me Lindsey. I know the truth and I know why he did what he did,' he continued on at her shocked expression.

_~Flashback~_

_It was a little after nine in the morning and Nathan was alone in his house eating cereal when he heard his door open and then heard a voice._

'_Anybody home?' Lucas called out._

'_Kitchen,' Nathan called before taking another spoonful._

_Lucas without a word strolled into his kitchen and pulled up a stool across from his brother, a grin gracing his face._

'_Okay, why are you here and why are you looking at me like that?'_

'_Like what?'_

'_Like a giddy teenage girl,' he tore his gaze away from his older brother finally and looked back down at his newspaper._

'_I do not,' Lucas scoffed._

'_Do you want me to grab you a mirror? And back to my first question, why are you even here don't you have a plane to catch soon?'_

'_Yeah, but I needed to tell someone what I have to tell and I was figuring that my best friend would be home.'_

'_She took Jaime out shopping, so I guess you're stuck with me.'_

'_I broke off my engagement with Lindsey,' Lucas casually stated as he grabbed a banana from the counter and peeled it._

_That caught Nathan's attention and he was automatically looking at Lucas once again. _

'_What do you mean you broke-'_

'_I slept with Peyton last night,' Lucas cut him off and sat back down._

_At that, Nathan nearly choked as he spit out his breakfast and milk stained a large portion of the paper he was just reading. _

'_You did what?!'_

'_Peyton came over last night, she was really shaken up about me leaving seeing as how hard it had been on her when Derek left his for his deployments. I guess we just caught up and one thing kind of led to another and-'_

'_Okay, so once again you cheated with Peyton? You really are a dick,' Nathan shook his head frustrated._

'_I phoned Lindsey this morning and called everything off, I didn't exactly tell her why, but we're over Nate.'_

'_And what does Peyton think of all of this?'_

'_She doesn't know, and you have to promise me you won't tell her or anyone either. I don't want to get everyone flustered before running off for six months.'_

'_And you've finally come to your senses and are fessing up that you, Lucas Scott, do indeed love Peyton?' Nathan raised his eyebrows at his brother._

'_Lindsey has never been the one, no matter how hard I've tried to deny that fact, I knew deep down it was the truth. And after last night, last night it was as if everything finally snapped back into focus. And I don't want to hurt Peyton anymore, I don't want to cause her anymore pain that I already have inflicted. Lindsey was just a rebound, Peyton though, it has always been Peyton Sawyer,' the corners of his mouth subtly turned upward at the mention of her name._

_~End Flashback~_

'So what did you say to her that had her fleeing our house?' He barked out at her.

She let out a low laugh. 'Nathan, are you really that clueless?'

'What are you talking about?'

'Think about it. Peyton mysteriously moved away after his funeral, which happened to be several weeks after he had initially left. She slept with him the night before he did leave and to top it all off she left a lame excuse of a goodbye note in his house,' she rolled her eyes.

'A letter? The same letter you cornered her about at our house?'

She opened one of the drawers in her desk and pulled out said letter and flung it into his hands. 'I really can't believe you still don't understand.'

'Understand what?'

'She got pregnant, Nathan. She was pregnant with Lucas' child.'

He dropped the letter he had been holding and finally looked at her, realizing that she was being completely honest. And then he let his thoughts overtake him, wondering how in the world he hadn't managed to put it all together as Lindsey had so obviously pointed out.

Without another word he grabbed the paper that rested on the carpeted floor and swiftly made his way outside of her office before collapsing in a wooden chair leaned up next to a wall in the hallway.

* * *

'Are you sure this will work?'

'Yes, as long as you turn on the tracker as soon as the filming takes place they will be able to target this location and move into action. Before I came here today I met with the leader, uh Derek Summers, and they are stationed at the hospital you guys went to. His whole crew is ready and waiting. So all we have to do is wait for now,' the doctor was momentarily checking Lucas' vitals as he conversed with Wyatt.

Lucas who had been going in and out of consciousness over the past week was sleeping at the moment and had been oblivious to the whole plan that had been formed several days ago.

Wyatt figured it was for the best of course, not really wanting to add more anxiety to his unstable friend.

Initially when Dr. Salem had described the key to getting away, Wyatt was skeptical. It had major gaps and seemed far to improbable, but as the doctor let him in on more and more of the specific details that were being made, he went along with it all. And now, today was the day he'd been running over and over in his mind throughout the tedious week.

The doctor had been informed many days prior to his first day of taking care of Lucas about the interview the captors had planned on airing live. He'd also heard about the task force that had been patiently searching for the missing men and he finally out of his own guilt and belief in the powers of karma, had gone and given himself to them to end this mess once and for all.

They had speedily explained to him about how important a live feed would increase their chances of locating the prisoners and had handed over two high-tech gps trackers that would almost certainly pinpoint the exact realm of where Lucas and the nine others waited.

With hours of prepping behind him, Dr. Salem had finally gone back home and waited for the knock on his door that would mean it was time for him to go back to the wretched place blinded, like always, hopefully for his final time.

After finishing his monitoring of Lucas, he checked with Wyatt to be sure the trackers were in place and instructed him one final time on the importance of the timing of which Wyatt had to turn them on, and then left.

The interview was to be conducted shortly after the doctor was finished with his rounds and it was to be his last interaction with the two men. That was why it so much more crucial that this plan didn't fall through, or Lucas would be left for dead.

He allowed the guards waiting outside the door he just emerged from to throw the usual black bandanna around his eyes and roughly drag him to a waiting vehicle and be deposited back to his home, which he soon after left and hurried off to where Summers and his team were waiting.

Meanwhile, a cameraman was setting up equipment in Wyatt and Lucas' cell and two other men were watching on. They had forced Wyatt to stand next to where Luke was asleep on the mobile bed and threw a covering over his head.

Eventually the guy behind the camera gave a simple nod to the other men and a red light flashed on. Soon enough the other two men started asking Wyatt meaningless and fruitless questions, which Wyatt reciprocated only half paying attention. He was more focused on secretly working the tracker on, and once he felt the connector slide all the way over he allowed to give himself fully into what was going on in front of him.

This was it, now or never.

And he had completed his part.

Some part of him though knew that everyone else was surely to do the same.

* * *

"'Tree Hill is just someplace in the world…,'" Peyton sighed as she set one of her many copies of 'An Unkindness of Ravens' down and went back to staring at the beautiful son that laid in her arms.

Every night before she would put him down for sleep she'd read to him various passages from that book, watching how his eyes seemed to light up as she read the words his father had written.

He was smitten with the book and she was smitten with him. Jeremy was now four months old and although he still had his moments, his late night wailing sessions seemed to be less frequent, which Peyton had become thankful for.

Now as she sat with him on this night she let her mind drift back to her hometown and how it had been such a great place to raise children unlike L.A, which was immersed with violence, substances, and sex. The thought of having Jeremy grow up here slightly frightened her, slightly would actually be an understatement.

He deserved to live in a place where he was surrounded by family and good citizens, a place that was welcoming and familiar, a place just like Tree Hill.

He didn't deserve to be raised in this melting pot of superficial and inflated egos. He didn't deserve to live in a small apartment with just only his mother and him fighting the world by themselves.

She was thrown out of her musings when his tiny fingers curled around one edge of the book that was still sitting in her lap and she smiled down at him before moving it so he could fully grasp it.

'I think it's finally time for us to go home baby boy, the place your father would've wanted to you grow up in,' she kissed his crown lightly and he cooed at his mother's touch.

She read to him for a little while longer until his eyes started to flutter shut and she moved to place him gently back in his crib. Afterwards she walked into her kitchen, picked up the phone, and called her best friend not really thinking about how late it had to be where she was.

This couldn't wait.

* * *

Wyatt was aimlessly pacing around after the interview they'd had the previous day and he was truly starting to doubt that any help was on their way and that Derek had actually discovered their location.

A low groaning from Lucas eased his anticipation for the moment as he hurried over to his side.

'Lucas, you okay?'

'Uh yeah, I just feel extremely exhausted and everything aches,' he croaked out, his throat was raw from all the sleep he'd accumulated over the past several days.

'That's to be expected, they said you're recovering quite well, considering our circumstance.'

'Yeah how long exactly have I been out?'

'A little under a day, but that's normal.'

'Has anything happened?'

As Wyatt searched for the words to explain to Lucas all he'd missed without sending him into a panic, there was a loud yelling outside their door and then the distinct blasting of three gunshots.

Lucas shifted himself up a little bit and cocked his head sideways at the worried look on Wyatt's face.

'Wyatt, what's-'

Wyatt stopped him and forced his hand onto to Lucas' mouth so they wouldn't be heard.

A moment later the door to their dark doom was cautiously creaked open and Wyatt held his breathe not knowing whether to be elated or terrified.

Footsteps crept closer and closer to them and finally the figure's form slowly focused and Wyatt let his shoulders visibly relax and the breath he'd been holding to escape from his lips.

Lucas shoved Wyatt's hand off his mouth and broke the silence.

'Derek?!' He blinked his eyes rapidly hoping he wasn't dreaming.

He had known though, from the instant that he'd recognized the face, it wasn't a dream at all.

* * *

_AN: I'll begin by saying that my updates will probably not be as often now as life is catching back up with me and summer is drifting away and my muse for this story has been incredibly lacking as of late. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, all your feedback helped me chug this chapter out. _

_Many of you mentioned you're getting a little antsy for the LP reunion, which I completely understand, so I promise you all that within the next two chapters it will happen. Cross my heart. _

_And finally to the guest reviewer who said that I hate Lucas, I don't hate Lucas. I could hate Lucas, I could hate how the writers on the show never made him fight for Peyton and how unsatisfied I was with how LP finally got together in season 6, but whatever it's cool. My otp ended happily and there are some seriously talented Leyton writers on here. So I don't hate Lucas, although he could be annoyingly indecisive at times. _

_So I'll stop rambling now. Thanks for reading, hopefully I haven't managed to ruin this story, I'm not real confident in myself at the moment. _


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

'Derek?!'

Lucas wanted to run, he wanted to spring from the bed he was currently attached to and have proof that his eyes weren't lying, that his instincts weren't lying, that his heart had reason to beat erratically as it was so currently doing.

The unknown figure was now in front of them, stony faced, vested, gun slung over his shoulder, just marveling at the two men standing not a few feet away.

'I've got Lucas Scott and Wyatt Hensley, the room's clear,' Derek sounded off into a walkie-talkie before addressing either of the ragged men he was appearing in front off.

Without a word he approached the right side of Lucas' bed, opposite of where Wyatt stood frozen.

'We've missed you guys,' Derek met both their curious faces.

'How…what's happened?' Lucas asked.

'Wyatt here helped devise a secret plan with the help of a local doctor and we were able to locate this hidden dump. About an hour ago we had the place surrounded and easily overtook it, the men who have been holding you guys have been apprehended and are being arraigned as we speak. It's all over,' he half smiled at the both of them.

'We have medical staff on the way to check on you both,' he continued on speaking.

'When can we…when will we be able to go back?' Wyatt spoke for the first time, his face drawn long and full of weariness.

'Soon, if Lucas gets the okay to be stable enough to ride an airplane then most likely a day or so. Of course my team won't be going back, we have to finish working this and help all the other men.'

'Thank you Derek, thank you,' Lucas extended his hand with all the will he had left in him and spoke quietly, hoping to conceal the sobs and the emotions that seemed to be crawling up through his chest to the back of his throat.

Derek just shook his head and lightly grasped Lucas' hand.

'It was about time that I returned the favor, I would have spent my entire life searching for both of you no matter what,' he stated and hugged Wyatt briefly.

Lucas felt his bones seer at those words. He knew exactly what favor Derek was talking about, and it just wasn't the truth. Sure, Lucas had saved Peyton from Ian, but Derek was there.

And eventually after he had saved Peyton, he, Lucas, had been the one to drown her and repeatedly hurt her.

If anything, Lucas was the one who owed Derek the favor, twice over.

'Derek, does anyone know?' Lucas tentatively asked.

'No, no one, but I can call-'

'No, don't. Don't...don't tell anyone,' Luke interjected.

'Uh okay,' Derek simply nodded.

Three paramedics entered and hurried around Lucas pushing Wyatt and Derek out of the way unpleasantly. One eventually left the other two who were crouched over Lucas and attended to Wyatt who had several wounds that needed attention.

Once they were done they quietly spoke with Derek and then left. Derek turned around and faced both Wyatt and Lucas who had been watching the whole conversation.

'They said that considering your condition and how well off you seem to be, we can fly you both back tomorrow morning sharp. It will be about a 12-hour flight though and it'll be late at night once you're back in North Carolina. Until then I have to go check on some things, but if either of you need anything just use this,' he handed a walkie-talkie to Wyatt and then informed them that he had a man waiting outside the door that would be bringing some water and food fairly soon and then he left them alone.

'Luke, we're free. We're going home!'

Lucas didn't reply, he merely closed his eyes and fell back against the flimsy excuse of a mattress.

'Lucas?'

'I…I can't go back Wyatt. I can't face them all,' he faintly responded.

'And why not? We've finally got the one thing we've both been dreaming of for almost a whole year and a half and now you don't want it?' Wyatt raised his voice, getting angry.

'It's not that I _don't _want it. I don't want to force myself back into the lives of everyone who has considered me dead and moved on. Have you seen Cast Away? I'll have no job, I'll probably have no place to live, and I'll have no one to confide in, no one who understands whatever this is that I'm feeling right now!' He shouted back.

'You can't know these things. What if you go back and still have all those things, what if Peyton loves you and has been waiting patiently day after day for you to come back to her as you have wished for her? It's only been a year Lucas, you have a long life left to live, a life that will be full of all the things you've learned not to take for granted anymore.'

'What if I go back though and there's nothing? Where am I supposed to go from there?'

'Well, I guess we can deal with that if that turns out to be the case, but it won't be. You saw how happy Derek was! Your family will be just as welcoming of your return, you know that Lucas.'

Lucas placed both his hands on his temple and closed his eyes tightly, the thought of returning to absolutely nothing inflating his brain.

* * *

'Hales, Haley! I know why Peyton's been distant,' Nathan bellowed as he rushed into his house and ran down the hallway searching for his wife.

'She has a bab-' he trailed off when he rounded into the kitchen and said mother and child were staring at him expectantly along with his own wife and son.

'Peyton had a baby? I had no idea,' Haley sarcastically responded and smiled over at her nephew.

'Peyton…' Nathan let his bags fall harshly to the floor and he couldn't take his orbs off the similar blue eyes of his brother's.

She stood up cradling Jeremy to her chest and walked to where Nathan still stood.

'Nathan, this is Jeremy Scott, your nephew and godson,' she kissed her little boy's head and then ever so gently moved him into Nathan's waiting arms.

His eyes grew for a moment before he stammered out, 'Godson?'

'Of course, if that's all right with you. Your one of my dearest friends, you're spectacular with Jaime, and Lucas would've wanted you to be his godfather just as much as I do.'

'You know I would love to more than anything Sawyer,' Nathan grinned up at her with a few unshed tears in his eyes and proudly stared down at his one and only nephew.

Jeremy seemed to have a connection with Nathan as he had automatically curled up into his chest and let the smallest of smiles adorn his tiny face. Nathan couldn't believe that this bundle of life was something that his brother created and might never get to witness. And that caused him to start thinking about how much Lucas actually had in common with his late uncle Keith.

Both Scotts had been first turned down in marriage by their true loves, both had then 'moved on' and came so ever close to marrying another woman but it hadn't worked out for either of them, and now both had children with their true love they had so passionately denied only for it to be too late with both of them out of the picture.

It was heartbreaking, it was agonizing, and Nathan started to somewhat understand Peyton's actions to up and leave and stay gone.

'He's so much like…'

'I know,' Peyton half-smiled and then reached out for her son.

'And you…you're back for just a while or?'

'I'm back for good.'

Nathan pulled her into a one armed hug as she was still clutching Jeremy to her chest before saying, 'Good, we've missed you far too much.'

Haley stood up and was about to join their little reunion when her cellphone in her purse went off and she changed directions to get it. After seeing the name flash across the caller I.D she went into the living room and answered.

'Derek?'

'Haley, hey I've been trying to reach Nathan but he wouldn't answer, I hope this isn't a bad time.'

'Oh no it's perfectly fine. What's up?'

'I really shouldn't be calling you, I promised him I wouldn't, but we found them all. They're safe. He's coming home soon,' Derek rambled off.

'How did you…when did you,' Haley stuttered feeling as if she was riding a roller coaster that had just unexpectedly spiraled straight down.

'It's a long story, but a week ago we located them all, we overtook and secured the place, and found all ten of them. Alive.'

'Oh...wow. What did you mean when you said you promised him you wouldn't?'

'Lucas told me directly not to inform any of you about this. I don't know why exactly, but he was to the point and blunt about it,' Derek sighed.

'Oh. So when exactly will he be back?'

'About two days time where you're at, him and another man Wyatt Hensley will be boarding a plane together tomorrow morning and it'll be a several hours long flight.'

'Thank you Derek, oh god thank you so much,' Haley's voice started to catch and a few tears slipped down her face.

They talked for a few short minutes and then Derek told her he had to go, but he himself would be back in town within a few weeks and Haley thanked him numerous more times and then said goodbye.

She took a few minutes after the call to let his news really sink in. Her best friend and brother in law was okay. He was safe. There was no longer any need for that frightening headstone in the cemetery.

But most of all he was coming home, she would see him in the flesh.

It was all too much but she eventually tried to compose herself before returning to the kitchen, not sure on whether to pass on what Derek told her.

Nathan and Peyton were now both sitting around the island in their kitchen and Jaime was carefully holding his cousin with adoring eyes. Haley came in and took a seat next to Jaime.

'Where'd you go?' Nathan asked.

'Oh, um I just had to take a call.'

'Who was it?'

'Umm,' as Haley was trying to think of what to say she was saved by the presence of Brooke Davis entering the room.

'My best friend finally comes back to town and I'm the last to know?!' Brooke sat down next to Peyton and hugged her fiercely.

'Missed you too B. Davis,' Peyton just rolled her eyes at her and let out a sarcastic laugh.

'So what do you guys think about having dinner here tonight?' Haley asked.

Brooke and Peyton shared looks and then sent Haley matching nods and smiles.

'Great, Nathan why don't you go start up the grill and I'll bring out the meat?'

Nathan nodded and then rose, moving to the sliding glass door that connected their kitchen to their backyard.

Haley dug around in their refrigerator finding some steaks and she started boiling a pot of water before following Nathan out to where he just left, leaving Brooke, Peyton, Jaime and Jeremy in the kitchen.

As soon as she closed the door Nathan was hurling questions at her.

'Your call that was Derek right?'

'Yeah it was,' she walked up next to him and wrung her hands nervously.

'So you know that Lindsey lied to us?' He shot out, catching her off guard because Lindsey was the least of their worries at the moment. She shook her head slowly.

'I know that they've found him and he's coming home in two days, but he didn't want any of us to know,' she watched as his whole expression changed and the spatula he had been holding fell carelessly to the ground, his mouth gaping and she had to reach out her hand to steady his shaking form from buckling over.

'They how…when?' He sputtered, staring intently into her eyes, his hands gripping tightly to both her shoulders.

'Derek didn't say much, but they found all of them. He's coming back to us Nathan,' her voice caught and she let some tears slip and he was immediately gathering her in his arms, tears streaming the contours of his face too.

Meanwhile back in Naley's kitchen, Peyton and Brooke were awing over the little Scotts connection to one another.

'So are P. Sawyer and J. Scott back for good?'

'Hey, I'm J. Scott too!' Jaime pointed out.

'That you are buddy,' Brooke laughed and messed with his hair.

'We are, back for good that is,' Peyton finally answered Brooke's question, feeling overjoyed that she could say that very phrase now.

There was a beat and Brooke was opening her mouth to ask another question when Jaime's little voice started speaking.

'How come Jeremy is a Scott, but you're not Aunt Peyton?' He questioned innocently, not understanding, with a slight frown on his face.

'Because Jeremy's father was a Scott and since I'm not married to any Scott, I still have my maiden name,' she tried to answer, forgetting that Jaime didn't know who Jeremy's father was.

'If my dad isn't his dad, then who is because there's not many other Scotts?' He wondered aloud.

'Maybe we should go check on how the food's coming,' Brooke tried to leer the conversation out of risky waters, knowing that Peyton probably didn't want to tell Jaime the answers to his questions right then.

Peyton rested her hand on Brooke's lightly before saying, 'No it's alright, he deserves to know.'

Brooke was surprised by how strong Peyton was being and squeezed her hand then nodded.

'The reason Jeremy is a Scott, Jaime, is because your Uncle Lucas is his father,' she began talking in a soothing voice.

Jaime's eyes lit up immensely, but then fell just as quickly.

'So when Uncle Lucas comes back, will you become a Scott?'

That question took Peyton for a surprise and how clueless Jaime must have been about his own uncle tugged at her heart. The fact that Jaime was wishing she were married to him hurt indefinitely worse.

And how Jaime was still holding out hope for Lucas' return that would never happen. It was all too much for her to take in so she turned to Brooke and asked her if she'd watch Jeremy for a moment and then she rushed off to the bathroom, not wanting her son or Jaime to see her fall apart.

* * *

'Okay guys, we're all set,' Derek announced as he moved into the room where Wyatt was currently pacing unnaturally and Lucas was dozing off in the wheelchair that they'd forced him to sit in.

Wyatt sprung his head up immediately and shuffled over to Lucas' side attempting to wheel him out, but he was stopped.

'I can handle it,' Lucas growled out, rolling a few feet away.

Wyatt, who wasn't exactly expecting Lucas to be in such a foul mood, stood staring before following Lucas and Derek out the room.

Derek silently raised his eyebrows but said nothing and let the whole moment pass, knowing Lucas' behavior was somewhat a possibility after having been through months and months of life-threatening torture and then almost dying from a fatal heart attack in this helpless abandon.

He guided them through a maze of rooms, weaving expertly, until they were pushing through one last set of cheap doors and out in the sunlight.

And Lucas felt his eyes burn, not from the brightness, but from the reality of this moment he was finally experiencing.

His skin was covered in warmth as the sun bore down on them all and it was so refreshing from the stale coldness of circulated air he'd become used to.

'Okay guys I'm going to lead you to the charter, it's a military transport and will be much faster than a regular flight would. If you have any issues Lucas, Wyatt here I'm sure would be glad to help you as he's done this type of thing before.'

They then followed Derek out to where a plane was waiting and he helped strap them all in and gave them a few more instructions about the cab that would be waiting for them back in North Carolina and all other minor details.

'So I guess this is goodbye,' Derek began as he gave Wyatt a short hug and then nodded curtly to Lucas.

'Thank you so much Derek, you don't understand how much this means,' Wyatt insisted and Derek just smiled.

He turned his back to them and starting walking away before he remembered something.

'Lucas?'

Lucas who had been drifting off into his own thoughts looked up expectantly. 'Yeah?'

'They do miss you, all of them, Nathan, Haley, Karen and Lily, Jaime especially, Skills, Mouth, Brooke, and Peyton. Just don't go back and close yourself off, they'll need you, but if it gets bad and you need help this is the person you need to see,' Derek spoke softly and handed over the business card of the best PTSD specialist in the Carolina region.

Lucas obediently took it and shook his hand one final time before the plane took off and lifted them up off the ground and into the air.

They were truly going home and that thought alone was enthralling, but depressing all the same. He sighed as he flipped the business card over and over in his hands, knowing that Derek was just being considerate and looking out for him.

PTSD was something he never thought he could be diagnosed with, but he understood that in the months to come it was very well likely that he might. He tried to imagine sleeping in his own bed again, that was if it was even still his own bed and still there. And as he thought it over and over, he knew he was going to have severe nightmares.

He was going to hit a stage where he blocked everyone away, he would hole himself away, and he'd be easily set off by any loud signaling noises out in public.

And he knew he was going to need someone to help, someone to be there with him when he woke up violently shrieking, someone to assure him he was safe and free and alive.

Someone who was kind and gentle, loving, someone who'd been through a similar situation and understood, someone like…like Peyton.

Peyton.

She would get it, she would understand his fears after going through her own battles with Ian, she would run her hand lovingly over his sweaty forehead and hold him in her arms during the darkest hours of the night, she'd wake up next to him in his bed every morning and keep him from isolating everyone else out.

No, no she wouldn't, she wouldn't do any of those things. She would see him, see how disgusting and tarnished he was and she would look at him with fear. She would ignore him, become distant, she would be living her happily ever after with another man and watch him helplessly drive himself into his own already plotted grave.

He sighed and forced himself to look out the window. He had absolutely no clue what she would do and he wasn't exactly ready to find out.

* * *

It was two days later and Peyton, Jeremy, Brooke, and a man were silently standing on the doorstep of Nathan and Haley's as they had all been invited over for an official welcome back party for Peyton and her son.

Haley came and opened the door, smiling as she let everyone in and without asking, raised her eyebrow at Peyton after some person she'd never seen in her life wrapped his arm around Brooke's waist.

'That's Julian, the movie producer. We dated for a while after…after me and Luke split up and he came to me about a week before I decided to come back and was talking about making 'Ravens' into a movie. I told him it was a great idea so he came back with me, and him and Brooke have just magically hit it off,' she smiled at the couple in front of them, pleased that Brooke was finally getting some of the overdue happiness that she especially deserved.

Haley smiled in return and led them all into the kitchen where Nathan and Jaime were waiting. They all settled in nicely and conversation flowed well between the five adults and Jaime spent most of his time taking care of his cousin.

Haley and Nathan both though were a little on edge. They knew that Lucas was due to arrive within a few hours time and had not the slightest idea if he planned on visiting them or staying quiet or what.

Haley insisted that Lucas would almost certain come to their house first and that's why she had been so persistent that this get together between all of them happen, it wasn't just a welcome back party for Peyton and Jeremy, it was also a welcome back party for Lucas. And it was killing Haley that they really couldn't tell anyone, considering Derek had said Lucas wanted no one to know.

So she remained quiet, trying to act as normal as possible, but she caught Nathan's glance a few times and could automatically tell that he was struggling internally just as much as she was.

They were all seated around the dining room table, eating the delicious barbeque that Nathan and Haley had prepared when Jaime spoke up.

'So you're going to make Uncle Lucas' book into a movie?' He questioned Julian excitedly.

'That's the plan bud. Right now it's still just being entertained on the idea boards, but I have a feeling I should be able to convince everyone back at my studio,' he ensured, flashing that famous Baker grin.

'That's so awesome. And I bet when Uncle Lucas comes back he'll be so happy,' Jaime continued on.

The atmosphere in the room took a sudden dip after Jaime's comment and everyone squirmed a little uncomfortably, specifically Haley and Nathan.

Peyton broke the air though, much to the surprise of them all. 'I bet he will too,' she half-smiled down at Jaime and then rose from the table at a soft cry coming from where Jeremy was at in the next room over.

She excused herself and while she was gone, the meal had reached its finish and Haley and Brooke carried all the dishes into the kitchen and the guys soon followed after.

Clean up went by fast with the many hands offered and soon everyone was seated randomly in the living room, just relaxing.

Peyton and Julian sat loosely next to each other on the couch, Julian had one arm slung along the back of the couch and was getting into a deep discussion about the basketball game currently on t.v with Nathan who sat in a chair across from Julian, Peyton was laughing lightly at Jaime who sat in her lap holding Jeremy in his lap as he tickled him, and Brooke and Haley sat in separate chairs catching up on their lives.

The night was going perfect, everyone was in high spirits and no drama was to be found.

And then, as if on cue, the doorbell rang, and Haley and Nathan were standing up and rushing to answer the door.

As they breathlessly opened it, the face they saw wasn't the one they were expecting.

* * *

They had landed and he was currently standing in the Tree Hill airport. When he came back he had always imagined Peyton would be waiting for him and she would come up out of the swell of people and launch into him, pushing him to the ground and laughing that lovely laugh of hers.

But instead he was here, standing awkwardly in this place beside Wyatt, with no one waiting for them or caring that they were indeed back home. Then again though he had asked Derek not to tell anyone, so he really had no reason to have his hopes so high.

Silently they grabbed their luggage and headed out the doors to the cab where the driver stood waiting with a cardboard sign that read 'L. Scott/W. Hensley.' He took the suitcases and lifted them into the trunk while Lucas and Wyatt both cramped into the backseat of the taxi.

The driver was soon back in the front of the car and cleared his throat before speaking.

'Welcome back fellows, I've heard all about you both, and let me be the first to say we're all immensely glad for your return. Any place in particular you'd like to go?'

Lucas recited off the address of his brother's home and offered Wyatt to come with, which he accepted and the driver took off. As they were driving through the dark streets of Tree Hill, Lucas pointed out several places he had mentioned to Wyatt in their imprisonment and he felt his heart almost stop when they passed the old familiar Rivercourt.

Wyatt noticed and placed a hand on Lucas' tense shoulder and Lucas glanced sadly over at him. And far too quickly they were on Naley's street and Lucas told the driver to stop a few houses down from their own, wanting to catch them completely off guard. The man did as asked and handed over their luggage before telling them both the ride was free and driving off.

'If you're not ready for this, you can always come back in the morning, I'll even come with you then if you need,' Wyatt started, noticing the frown on Luke's face.

'No, I'm fine. Let's do this,' Lucas firmly stated and started up the sidewalk to the house. Wyatt silently followed behind and soon enough they were standing outside the front door to the lit up home, several people were obviously inside.

Lucas noted the unfamiliar SUV in the driveway and tried to push away his thoughts about them all moving on once again, but just the sight of that car was making him question how many other things he probably didn't know about.

He blinked rapidly as he stood next to their door and thought on whether he should just go right on in or if that would be too much and he should ring the doorbell and wait instead.

'You alright?'

'Yeah, follow me and be silent,' Lucas gestured as he let his hand slide onto the doorknob and felt it open under his touch, thankful it was unlocked. Wyatt carefully nodded his head hanging back a few steps as Lucas slowly opened the door, making his way into the house.

Lucas felt his heart thumping harder and harder in his chest as he let his eyes spread across the view in front of him and remembered the last time he'd walked in almost a year and a half ago.

And then he heard it, heard that voice, that laugh. Oh god, he missed that laugh.

So taking a few extremely soundless steps he rounded the wall and felt his breath catch, his stomach drop, his skin burn.

Peyton was sitting carelessly on the couch, her back was towards him but from his view he could tell that she was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair was in tight curls and she was wearing a modest summer dress that showed off her wonderfully long, tanned legs.

And then he saw the back of a brown haired faceless man seated to the left of her with his arm precariously lain across the back of the couch behind her.

And finally he saw the small child she had standing on her knees, her laugh filling the air and all his missed family was surrounding in the same room, watching Peyton and the child with uncontained delight.

Brooke who had Jaime in her lap was smiling contentedly and soon his own nephew was sprinting across the room to play with the kid.

And Lucas, he felt his legs almost buckle at the sight, seeing his worst nightmare unfolding in front of him as the love of his life had moved on, moved on and had a child with another man that wasn't him.

That was supposed to be him sitting next to her on that couch with their kid and now because of some unpredicted, unexpected fate he was the stranger staring in through a fogged over window at the life he could never have.

Cautiously he retreated back and pushed past Wyatt who was still hovering near the doorway they had entered and he then was running down the road with no particular direction in mind.

It all hurt too much and he couldn't be there, he couldn't let them see him like this. And they definitely had no reason to want to see him, not after they all seemed to have found their own happiness.

He never, never should have come back.

Wyatt still stood frozen as he watched Lucas hurry off into the night without a word. Not knowing what to do, considering he was standing inside a house full of people that had no idea he was there, he went back outside, so ever carefully closed the door behind him, then rang the doorbell.

If Lucas wasn't going to face up to his family, then he was going to. They deserved it.

He heard a light commotion and the hurry of feet and then a small brown haired woman and darker haired version of Lucas were staring back at him. This had to be the best friend and brother, Haley and Nathan.

'Who are you?' Haley snapped right away, pissed off because this guy had her rushing for no reason.

'I'm-'

'You're one of them aren't you, you were with Lucas,' Nathan cut him off as he noticed the man's face from the news.

'Yeah, I am. Wyatt Hensley,' he held his hand out and Nathan shook it immediately.

'What about Lucas, is he here?' Haley was practically whispering, not wanting to alert any of their guests.

'He was actually standing in your house about five minutes ago. I came here with him, he went in and I waited back, but all of a sudden he was hurrying out and ran off. He's having a real hard time with all of this. It's probably best to give him some time,' Wyatt sighed as he explained.

'A hard time, why? Is he alright?' Haley's voice filled with worry.

'I hate to be the one to inform you guys, but a few months ago he almost died. He had a serious heart attack while we were in captivity and he was mere hours from being lost. Our captors always gave him the worst treatment for no real reason, but he's a brave man,' Wyatt went on, trying to be as honest as possible.

'Oh my god,' Haley gasped out, immediately burying her head into Nathan's shoulder. Nathan stood frozen, trying to soothe his wife, as he offered Wyatt to come in, which he did.

Nathan said a few quiet words to Haley and she nodded as she walked off to the bathroom and then he turned his focus back on Wyatt. 'Would you like anything to drink or eat?'

'Oh no I'm fine, thanks.'

'Right well, I don't know how much Lucas may or may not have told you about us, but it seems only Haley and I know about his return, everyone else believes he's dead, and well some of our family is here and I was wondering if maybe…' Nathan trailed off.

'Of course, we spent a lot of time talking.'

Nathan grinned minimally and then led Wyatt into the living room where everyone waited, holding his breath at what was to come.

'Hey Nathan who was that at the-' Brooke stopped talking as she realized someone was following him.

'This is uh, this is uhm-'

'Call me Wyatt,' Wyatt finished for him.

'Right, this is Wyatt, Wyatt Hensley,' Nathan went on.

Julian and Brooke who were now both sitting together said hello to him, but Peyton feeling as if she'd heard that name and seen that face before just openly scrutinized him. She then noticed Haley's absence and Nathan's jittery appearance.

'And I'm assuming you're Peyton,' Wyatt directed at Peyton, pulling her from her thoughts.

'How do you know my name?' She asked suspiciously, not returning any friendliness.

And then as soon as she asked that question, she let it all form together in her mind and she felt as if she was seeing a ghost.

'Well I-'

'You, you're…you're him. You were with Lucas, you're supposed to be dead. You're dead, you're not Wyatt Hensley. He's gone, they're all gone!' Peyton stammered off deliriously, causing everyone in the room to look over at her.

Wyatt slowly shook his head. 'I'm not dead Peyton, I am indeed Wyatt Hensley and they are not all gone, no one died. Lucas, Lucas is alive Peyton. And he's here; he's in Tree Hill now. I came with him,' he tried to speak in a reassuring voice.

Brooke gasped at his words and was instantly dashing to Peyton's side. Peyton was still staring at him, a torment of tears erupting from her eyes and her breathing thickened, her hands shaking.

'He's alive?' She asked helplessly, just needing to hear it again, to be sure her ears weren't deceiving.

'He's alive,' he nodded.

* * *

_AN: So I've become a horrible updater and you all have reason to be mad, but hopefully this chapter will do some justice to my credit as a writer. I finally got some muse back and it probably didn't help that I started a whole other story, but I'll try to give you the next one sooner._

_And the next chapter is what you've been waiting for, there will be a LP reunion and it will be major Leyton, but whether it's angst or fluff or neither I'm not certain on. It won't be simple though. So throw me some reviews or your ideas, they result in me writing more and finishing chapters quicker. _


	11. Chapter 11

_AN: So this a little (actually 2.5k words) shorter of an update, but it is an update nonetheless. I think you will all enjoy this or you'll end up pissed at something, or even me, but any and all opinions I love to hear. Enjoy. _

Chapter 11:

Where do you go when there is nowhere left to go, who do you turn to when you've turned away from everyone you know? Lucas' answer to that was simple, you go to where you're supposed to be buried.

He was lying on his back, above the place where his dead body would have lain for the rest of eternity. His eyes were closed; tears were emerging from the corners of them though. Both his hands were propped up under his shaved head that was masked with several healing wounds.

The black jacket that hugged his body was torn and wrinkled. As were the jeans and shoes he wore. He was thin, thinner than he had ever been and he looked as if he hadn't slept in months. The bags under his eyes seemed unending and his upper lip was swollen.

He was the perfect picture of a broken man. And if you looked real close, you could see the slight tremor in his legs, you could hear the slight sobs he was emitting, the way his chest was falling unsteadily, muttering whisperings of _they're better of without me_.

He was starting to hyperventilate and he knew that he needed to calm himself down considering his feeble heart, but part of him thought that maybe it would just be better off if he collapsed right there. But he wouldn't do that.

So instead he pushed himself up and dragged his legs a few short steps to where his uncle lay, settling down in a similar position that he had in front of his own grave.

He lifted his head up to gaze at the night sky and kept his mind in neutral territory, reminiscing on the wonderful times he had had with Keith.

'I'm sorry Keith,' he whispered. 'I've probably let you down; I've let myself down so much. I've been a horrible person and now I've managed to lose everything I could have ever dreamed of.'

He sighed and worked to stop the tears that were threatening to fall, but failed. And it was then, when he was in a full on fetal position sobbing uncontrollably that he heard the light crunch of leaves.

And coming from a rather recent release from being held against his own will, he let fear set in and lowered his right hand to where the small pocketknife in his jacket rested. He had insisted on having some source of self-dense on him at all times now.

He allowed his eyes to scan the darkness in front of him, but couldn't make out any figures. And that was really setting him off, his nerves were yelling at him to move or run or do anything.

And just as he was prepared to stand and make his escape, he heard the slight soft whisper of a voice that reminded him of home and lazy Sundays and warm cooked meals.

'Lucas Eugene Scott,' it came again.

And before he could do anything, the owner of the voice appeared before him.

'Mom,' he husked out as he took in her small form for the first time in what seemed an eternity and felt her strong motherly arms wrapping aggressively around him.

'My baby boy, I've missed you,' she gently spoke as he buried his head in her shoulder and completely broke down.

'I'm so sorry,' he gasped out.

'Oh Lucas, you have nothing to apologize for. Let's get you home, you look like you could use some sleep,' she pushed him back slightly to look in his eyes and gave him a teary smile.

'Home? The house…'

'Is still yours, I couldn't bear to do away with it, and I knew you were still out there. I never gave up hope, I don't think any of us did,' she gently assured as she let her hand trail down his face.

'Thank you,' he whispered and she shushed him as she drew him in her arms again and eventually she led him back down the way she had come keeping a steady hand on his back the entire way.

She was just glad that one of the most important pieces of her life was finally back, but the pain that swirled in his eyes and the condition he was in tore at her heart. He'd gone through too much hurt in his life already and this might have been the final tipping point for him.

On their walk to his childhood home, she caught him up on some things. They talked mostly about Lily and Jaime and eventually she got around to voicing the one thing she'd been straying from all night.

'Before you left, you were writing again weren't you?' She eased in.

'Yeah…sort of, how did you know?' He squinted over at her.

'Well, you have every right to angry or mad or whatever, but Nathan stumbled upon it one day and he might have taken the manuscript on your computer to the publishing company.'

He just nodded, but she could tell he was deep in thought. 'And did they do anything with it?'

'Last week Haley told me that the company sent word that they absolutely loved it and as far as I'm concerned, they hadn't given any response back. I thought it was best you know because the decision is all yours now,' she half smiled over at him.

'I'll have to think about it,' he quietly stated and then abruptly stopped. Karen followed his gaze.

'If it's too much you can stay with Andy and me, we wouldn't mind and we would completely understand.'

He sighed. 'No, I'll have to deal with it eventually; I need to get my life back on track. And this is the first step.'

Karen bowed her head in agreement and together, they walked up the steps and she unlatched the door with a key.

Hesitantly, he pushed it open and let the stale smell of dust overtake him. Everything was exactly in its original place and he was so grateful for that, for the fact that his mom had still held onto him.

Gathering the courage, he continued further in moving down the hallway and he stopped when he reached the doorway of his bedroom. He really needed to do this by himself, so he tore his eyes from everything he had missed that currently surrounded him and faced his mother who was observing him carefully from the front door where she still stood.

'I think I'll be okay from here Mom, thank you,' he strolled to her and hugged her again, feeling her nod against his chest.

'If you need anything please call, we are all here for you no matter what,' she stated and began to walk back down his porch.

'And Mom?'

'Yeah?' She turned around.

'How'd you know I was here, how'd you find me at the cemetery?'

'Mothers intuition, a little birdy might have given me a little heads up too,' she smirked, casually shrugged her shoulders, and continued on walking.

He stood staring after her, thinking what that could possibly mean. Had someone seen him, had Derek alerted them all? He shook his head before closing the door and heading back to his room.

Cautiously he took a seat in his desk and noticed that it looked like someone had gone searching through the drawers, but he just dismissed it.

He then got up and faced his bed, turning his back to it and then falling ever so gently against the familiar old box spring that brought so many memories from his past into view.

And as he was taking a trip down nostalgic memory lane, he flipped over and let his face come into full contact with the bedding. And suddenly, _her_ smell was infiltrating his nostrils, filling him up, bringing his last night in this room into a fuller perspective.

And it had instantly comforted him. It made him realize finally, that he was indeed, actually back in his hometown, alive and free with the opportunity to turn his life around and start fresh. It to make amends, to fix his mistakes he had spent many a night wishing to change.

So he quickly removed his shoes and changed out of his clothes and curled up in his bed, clutching the comforter tightly to him, knowing it was the only thing that would allow him to escape the nightmares, allow him a good peaceful sleep. As if _she_ was here with him.

It was useless though.

Two hours later he woke up covered head to toe in a thick sweat, his pillows had been thrown to the floor, and his throat felt hoarse as if he'd been screaming or yelling endlessly.

Knowing that sleep wasn't going to come, he turned on his bedside lamp, pulled on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, and he left his room. He didn't really feel like driving and it probably wasn't best for him to just start up at it again especially since it was the dead of night so he grabbed a key and walked out.

It was starting to lightly drizzle, but he didn't mind, the water felt amazing against his sore, raw skin.

He needed to see someone, he needed company, he really wasn't in the mood to close his eyes once again and knowing that most everyone was probably asleep, he headed to the place that had been his second home in high school, the Rivercourt.

And soon enough, his sneakers were touching that worn down asphalt and he felt a weight go off his shoulders, as if this one place could rid all of his troubles.

He crossed the spot where the faded graffiti signatures that him and all his friends had written in their senior year still shown and he laid directly down upon them. Legs sprawled out, the hoody of his Keith Scott body shop sweatshirt pulled up over his head, his arms resting under his head, and it was then and there, in that particular position that he found a slumberous sleep, drifting off quickly as the rain still danced down upon his exposed skin.

* * *

A basketball was being bounced, muffled voices were nearing, footsteps were thundering down on the ground.

Lucas rubbed at his moist eyes, not sure whether it was from the rain or whether he had been crying, and then let his orbs flutter open to the bright beaming sunshine shining down onto him.

It took him a few seconds to recognize his surroundings and to remember how he got there, but as soon as he did he started panicking as he realized someone was coming towards him.

Nathan and Jaime had gone and visited Peyton bright and early, insisting that her and Jeremy come down to the basketball court and spend the afternoon there with them. Jaime was going on and on about teaching Jeremy the famous Scott jump shot and Nathan was hoping the time together might take her mind off some other serious things.

She reluctantly agreed at Jaime's nonstop, excessive begging and she knew that Nathan was trying to help her out and probably wanted to talk so by ten they had all hopped into Nate's car and drove down to the court.

No one had noticed the figure lying in the center of the cement as they pulled up and got out. Peyton was unstrapping Jeremy from his car seat and Nathan had just joined her side as Jaime ran ahead of the both of them.

They started up a conversation, but both stopped as soon as they heard a shout from Jaime and the bounce of his basketball cease.

Peyton raised her head to where Jaime was intensely staring ahead and gasped loudly, seeing that old sweatshirt. She glanced over at Nathan who was in just as much in shock as she was.

This was the moment she had envisioned countless nights. This was the dream she had awaken to sadly ever single morning, knowing that it was only a dream, but now, now it was a reality.

The figure slowly rested himself up on elbows and then Jaime's voice broke the air.

'Uncle Lucas?'

Lucas partially stunned by that voice of the nephew he loved so much smiled inwardly, glad that it was probably just Nathan and his son and no one else.

Taking a chance he lowered the hood from his head slowly and brushed off his pants as he painfully made to stand up, his muscles and joints which were already out of place from all the binds and ropes he'd been chained with the past few months hurt and sleeping on nothing but rock solid pavement didn't do his body much justice.

He raised his head to meet Jaime's waiting eyes and half-smiled as the boy took a few steps towards him and then bounded into his legs, almost knocking Lucas completely over.

Peyton who had remained oblivious to him was blinking furiously as she watched Lucas interact with Jaime. This had to be a dream, she was actually seeing Lucas Scott alive and well…well he didn't look so well, but that was beyond the point.

He looked so different than she remembered, he was in pain, that was quite obvious, but a look of emptiness seemed to latch onto his whole being, a look she had never once seen in her life.

And then he was glancing up, past Jaime.

And for the first time in months, in over a year, she saw that familiar flash of icy blue eyes flutter around that reminded her identically of her son, _their _son. And then after seconds of searching, those eyes locked with hers and she felt as if part of herself was finally being handed back to her, that she could actually breathe again as if she'd been running on artificial oxygen since his disappearance.

He held his breath as he stared into her eyes that seemed to be full of longing and sorrow and he noticed something else. It wasn't exactly pity or anger, but rather it was fear and that was absolutely the last thing he wanted.

He broke his contact with her as he eyed the child in her arms, radiating off jealousy, sadness, confusion, but most of all hard cold regret. And then overwhelmed, he patted Jaime on the shoulder and told him he had to go, turning to walk away as fast as possible.

Nathan wanted to run after him and demand answers, but as he saw what Peyton was going through he called Jaime to him and sent Peyton a look.

'Go after him, go,' he pushed her shoulders as her eyes went wide at what he suggested. She finally let out a large breath and nodded to him before briskly going after Lucas.

Lucas hadn't gone particularly far when she caught up to him and she hollered out at him her voice full of tears and too many emotions.

'Lucas Scott,' she hissed, in a tone full of venom.

He froze, not daring to turn around, not wanting to see the tears pooling out her eyes. It was so hard though, her voice was one of the things he had missed the most and hearing it, hearing that voice addressed to him brought back some missing semblance he'd lost along the past few months, it was relieving no matter how harsh her tone had been.

'What…what happened to coming and finding me right away after you got out of the airport?' She whispered shakily, quoting his exact words from that night so long ago.

'I did, but I realized I was too late,' he finally allowed himself to face her; soaking in every detail of her face before casting his eyes down at the child she had in her arms.

'Too late for what?'

'For you…for me…for us. Just never mind, I have to go,' he broke off, feeling as if he had revealed too much and he turned on her once again.

He was almost out of her sight and she couldn't just let him get away so fast.

'Lucas!' She shouted, her voice not desperate or pleading, rather urgent.

He turned back once again, squinting at her.

Oh how she had missed that squint, it sent chills down her spine and for a second she forget what she had intended to say.

'I've missed you.'

His eyes had been trailing the ground around his feet, but were instantly back on her as she spoke those words, knowing she was being sincere.

'I've missed you too Peyt,' he let the smallest of smiles grace his lips before taking off again, fully intent to get away now that she'd said those words to him, that she'd actually spoken to him, that she was standing in front of him and he wanted nothing more than to pick her up off the ground and twirl her around.

She had absolutely no idea how much he had missed her, it was immeasurable.

And he, he had absolutely no idea how much she had needed him, how much she had cried over him, how much she had longed and longed and hopelessly longed for him.

Lucas was alive; Lucas Scott the father of her son was actually alive. And even though she was over the moon about that fact she suddenly felt an intense anger towards him grow.

The fact that he'd wanted to rush his marriage the morning he left, the fact that he had used her again, the fact that if he hadn't left he'd probably to married to Lindsey right now was filling her already overloaded mind.

Lindsey.

It was then that it hit her; Lindsey had lied to them all. Why? And what would Lucas have to say about his dearest fiancés word on his son, him being dead, would he still stay with her then?

But it didn't matter if he ran back to Lindsey or not, he never should have run away in the first place. Not from that hotel room, not into bed with her best friend only a few days after he confessed his love to her the first time, not into bed with a stranger after she walked away from him that one horrible night so long ago that she still has deeply ingrained into her mind, not after he kissed her in her office that night at TRIC.

Not now, as she stood helplessly staring at the place he had just been, when there was so much to be said.

Not when he didn't know he had a son with her and would probably go crawling all the way back to New York for that fake blonde editor before she would even have the opportunity to explain.

And that haunting look in his eyes, it was intense and had her wanting to erase any measure of pain that had been inflicted unto him.

A strong hand came from behind her and rested on her side, pulling her closer. Peyton looked into Nathan's eyes and let herself fall apart as he opened his arms, Jaime eventually joining their emotionally charged hug.

'Everything's going to be okay now Peyton, all the pain will disappear with time, we're all going to pull through this,' Nathan whispered into her ear in a most reassuring voice.

'I don't think so Nate, it's all still so painful,' she softly said into his shoulder.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

After his encounter with Peyton he had gone straight home, choosing to stick to the lesser-traveled paths not really in the mood to run into anyone else he knew at the moment.

And when he got home he immediately collapsed on the couch, the pain in his back not allowing him to walk any further. He kicked off his shoes and pulled off his sweatshirt, letting all his wounds and whip marks to be exposed as he lay on his stomach.

Initially when they'd first been found none of the medics had inspected Lucas' backside and it wasn't until a few hours before they loaded onto the plane that his gashes were discovered. He'd been given a salve that had immensely reduced the original pain and he was informed that it would slowly start to work away the marks and reduce the amount of scarring.

He really needed that salve right now so grunting he forced his legs to stand up and go and retrieve it from his bag that had remained on the floor where he had left it still unpacked. Finding what he needed from his room, he retreated back to the couch and it was then that he realized he would need someone else to assist him in doing this.

Sighing he pulled out his cellphone and was seconds away from calling his mother when his kitchen door opened and a voice was hollering his name.

'Lucas, Lucas Scott where are…Lucas…' Haley gasped tearfully as she came into sight of his hunched over form sitting in the middle of the couch with his phone in his hands.

Lucas dropped his phone and cursed under his breath knowing Haley would soon be seeing the one thing he intended on never having to show anyone and he hopelessly tried to grab his sweatshirt and throw it over his head, but he knew that would hurt like no other and he quickly abandoned that idea as fast as he had formed it. Instead he slightly maneuvered his position and allowed himself to finally face his best friend.

And if he thought it had been hard seeing his mother and Peyton, it was just as hard seeing her standing there before him.

'Hales,' he managed, allowing a smile to shape on his face as he held back the powerful stinging in his eyes.

'Don't ever do that again,' she shook her head forcefully as she moved forward quickly, taking a seat next to him as her arms grasped around his bare skin.

He wasn't able to suppress that whimper that he emitted as pain shot up his spine and branched off into tiny vessels along every inch of his skin that was marked when she had hugged him.

She pulled back swiftly lifting her eyes back up to his face with worry. 'Luke, are you okay? Did I hurt you?'

He sighed. He was going to have to tell her sooner or later. He grabbed the salve off the coffee table and placed it gently in her hand. 'You're not going to like what I'm going to tell you, but I want you to know it's not as bad as it looks, it really isn't,' Lucas began as she stared at him questioningly.

'I don't understand. This is a prescribed ointment, what do you need this for?' She asked as she intently read the label over.

'It's for some cuts I've got on my back,' he slowly explained and then ever so carefully turned his back to face her, trying not to think of what must be going through her mind.

'I know you probably wouldn't want to do this and it's hard, but I need to have someone else put it on. Would you maybe…?' He asked abruptly cutting off any lingering things she might feel like saying, twisting his head to face her.

'Of course Lucas, of course,' Haley insisted and started to lightly rub the ointment onto his back, noticing the way his back untwined the more she applied. She was done soon after and he turned back towards her once again.

'What did they do to you?' She whispered fearfully and he placed his hands in hers.

'Too much, but it doesn't matter,' he urged.

'Doesn't matter? Luke of course it does you-'

'No Haley, I really don't want any pity. I just want to get past it all. And I really need to lie down right now,' he added tiredly, his body craving for the soft rest the couch could offer.

'Right, let me help you to your room and I'll make you some soup or something.'

He nodded as she helped lift him to his feet and rested a caring arm around his waist. Together they got down the hallway and as he plopped face forward into his bed she drew the blankets around him and set a glass of water at his bedside.

'Thank you so much Haley, but I'll be fine,' he gratefully smiled over at her.

'I know, I know. I've just missed you so much and it's nice to just see you. It's been too long.'

'And I know you're going through so much and you don't have to if you're not exactly up for it, but we all thought that we could maybe have a small welcome back dinner for you at our house in a few nights. Just Nathan and me, Brooke, Peyton, Karen, and Jaime and Lily of course. It's really your choice, but-'

'Haley, stop rambling. That sounds nice, I'm okay with it. I'll just need maybe a few days or so, but I think that'll be good for all of us,' he cut off her rambling.

She just nodded and let her gaze linger on him for several more seconds. 'You have no idea how good it is to have you back.'

She then glanced at the wall clock in his room and realized she was going to be late. 'Listen Luke, I have a meeting I need to get to, but if you need absolutely anything I'm always here, Nate is too.' And she placed her hand caringly on his shoulder before making her way to leave.

'You said anything right?' Lucas stopped her at the last second.

'Yeah,' she turned around wondering what he might need.

'How long has that man and Peyton been together?' He asked quietly, afraid of what her answer might be.

'What man?' Haley asked, her eyebrows rising in question.

'With the brown hair, medium build.'

'Oh Julian.'

'Julian?'

'Him and Peyton aren't together Lucas, they never have been,' she partially lied but knew now wasn't the time to throw all that on him.

'Oh right.'

'Well I really have to go, but for the record he's a real nice guy. You'll grow to like him,' she half-smiled and then left.

Grow to like him? Was Haley insisting that the guy seemed to be around for good, that he'd become apart of their group? Had this Julian replaced him in the lives of all his friends? It was too much to understand so he tried to push out all his thoughts and get some rest.

His efforts though were very futile and in the end he managed to turn on the tv and waste a few hours watching afternoon soap operas. And he even managed to get a kick out of it because he got to thinking about his own life and everything he'd been through was basically a perfect plot for one of these over-dramatized shows.

But ever so slowly he did drift off.

And by five that night he had one final visitor who was informed by Haley earlier that he'd probably be sleeping and she shouldn't make a lot of noise upon entering.

And right Haley was as she rounded the doorway into his room where it seemed as if he was dozing off uncomfortably. His face was practically drowning in the sheets and she had to wonder how he hadn't managed to suffocate. His arms were clutching tightly around his pillow and his legs were a sprawled mess of disorder. He looked like that teenage boy she'd once known and that thought brought a grin to her face.

Taking a few steps in she pulled up his desk chair next to the bed and let her hand trail down his bruised face, finally taking in the horrible condition he seemed to be in. Her movement had caused him to stir and she pulled her hand back quickly, but it was too late because he was already opening his eyes.

'Brooke?' He rasped out.

'Hey Broody,' she softly spoke back, letting a small tear slip from her eye.

'I didn't mean to wake you, I can leave if you want to get some sleep I really just needed to come and see you for myself.'

'No it's fine, it's good to see you,' he smiled faintly up at her before pulling himself up into a sitting position so they were at the same eye level.

'How are you?'

'I'm dealing,' he stated looking away from her pressing eyes that were scanning all his injuries, making him feel a smidge of vulnerability.

'And how are you dealing with all of us?'

'What do you mean?'

'Well, I know it must be hard coming back to everything after so long. It can't be easy,' she looked him straight in the eye.

'Yeah, you have a point. I was actually dreading coming home afraid I wouldn't have anything left, I'm still not sure if I do or not,' he sighed.

'You do Lucas. You still have a home and a career if you choose to keep with it, and you have all of us no matter what, we wouldn't just leave you behind,' she placed her hand on his arm.

'It seems though the only dream I've ever had is gone,' he muttered under his breath, but Brooke heard of course.

'What?'

'Nothing, just nothing,' he closed off and restlessly attempted to move from his bed. Brooke's hold on his arm stopped him and that was when she realized how bad off he was because a fully healthy Lucas who weighed almost two times her would without effort escape her grasp.

'Lucas tell me. What dream?'

'Having a family with…with Peyton. I guess I have no reason to be mad that she continued her life after I left and after all the pain and crap I put her through she deserves to be happy. It's just hard seeing her with a kid knowing that it's another man's. I just…I'm being stupid and selfish and I have no right and I just…it's nothing,' he rambled off and Brooke watched as many different emotions consumed him through his exaggerated musings.

'Oh Lucas,' she started. She really wanted to tell him that that was all lies, that he was Jeremy's father, but she knew it wasn't her place to. That was for Peyton and Peyton alone to do. Instead she placed her arms around him and let him rest his head into her shoulder.

'So I'm guessing you've seen Peyton?' Brooke asked as if she was clueless when she already indeed know that he had seen her. Peyton had come home earlier in the morning looking like she'd seen a ghost and told her everything that had happened.

'I was sleeping at the Rivercourt when her and Nathan pulled up with Jaime,' he began.

'Wait, why were you sleeping there?'

'I couldn't sleep, I have these terrible nightmares that I just can't handle and I needed to be someplace that I felt safe and considering how late it was I didn't want to disturb anyone. The Rivercourt seemed like the only option although now I'm paying for resting on that hard ground all night,' he murmured.

She nodded and he continued on.

'I heard Jaime's voice and figured it was just him and Nathan so I got up and he practically attacked me and then suddenly I was looking into her eyes. And…and it felt as if everything stopped, but then I saw that beautiful son of hers in her arms and it was then that I felt everything crashing down around me,' he sighed.

'Is that the same reason for you exiting Naley's so fast the other night?'

'How did you-'

'You're friend, um Wyatt. He rang the doorbell and introduced himself and told us that you were back, you were actually in the same room with us but you left,' she explained.

'Wyatt, right Wyatt would do that. He's a real great guy.'

'He is, but you do realize that at some point you're going to have to face her again. You need to tell her how you feel, there are so many things that you still have no clue about,' Brooke remarked.

'Yeah, I know,' was all he had to say as he looked forward lost in thought.

* * *

Two nights later Lucas was preparing himself for his welcome back dinner and he was extremely nervous. Not much for the fact that he would be surrounded by all his family and that he was still very touchy concerning his absent aspect in their lives, but more so the idea that he would be in a place with children's laughter and glasses clinking and lots of questions being thrown out at him.

He wasn't exactly ready to relive everything that had happened, he was still alerted and sent on edge by shrill sounds, and he would very much rather spend his night in solitude, but he had promised Haley he'd come. He just didn't know for how long he'd be able to last.

Adjusting to his life again was starting to take a strain on him and ever since he had touched down in his hometown he felt as if it was wrong. As if he was a stranger in a world that had no longer asked of him. As if he was stepping into everyone else's lives and becoming a major burden, one that he most definitely didn't want to be. And most importantly, he had no clue where to go from here.

As he stood before his bathroom mirror he looked himself over. He knew his cuts on his head would be a distraction so he had applied some small bandages here and there. His face was washed and his stubble had grown out which he was thankful for as it covered more.

He had on a simple white button down shirt with a white tank underneath, the sleeves rolled to his elbows and a pair of faded blue jeans. Normally for a dinner like this he wouldn't be so fretful and anxious, but then again this was no normal dinner.

He heard a knock on his front door and he hurried out of the bathroom to answer whoever was visiting. He wasn't exactly surprised when his brother stood before him.

'Hey,' he said sheepishly.

'Luke, man,' Nathan skipped all pleasantries and pulled his older brother into a bear hug. Lucas reciprocated the hug knowing this was probably the only time Nathan would get the chance to let all his emotions out considering no one was around.

'I've missed you too little brother,' Lucas said as they broke apart.

Nathan nodded and had to breathe in quickly before he did anything that he knew Lucas would tease him forever for. 'Haley thought it would be best if I came and picked up, considering you're probably not up for much driving.'

'Actually yeah I was about to call one of you, let me just get my keys and we can go,' Lucas allowed Nathan to come in as he hurried off to get his house keys and came walking back not only a few minutes later.

They stepped outside and got into Nathan's car.

'So you ready for this?' Nathan asked before backing out.

'As ready as I'll ever be,' Lucas exhaled and Nathan sent him an understanding glance and then pulled all the way out, driving off.

Ten minutes later they were walking into Nathan and Haley's home. Jaime came thundering through the house as soon as he heard the front door open and had hurled himself into Lucas' arms as soon as he saw him.

'Hey buddy,' Lucas said grinning down at his nephew.

'You're back for good right? I thought you left again,' he responded dejectedly.

'I'm not leaving, never again,' Luke assured as he set Jaime down. 'You've gotten so big since I've remembered.'

'I'm six now, I'm a grown man,' Jaime puffed out his chest and proudly stated.

'That you are kiddo,' Lucas laughed and ruffled his hair before walking into the kitchen where Haley had shouted at him from.

'This looks amazing Hales.'

'Always the charmer, Lucas Scott,' she playfully said before hugging him and thanking him for coming.

'So who is exactly going to be here?' He asked as he stood next to the counter.

'Karen and Andy, Peyton and Jeremy, and Brooke and Julian,' Haley listed off.

'Jeremy? You told me Peyton wasn't seeing anybody,' Lucas' brow furrowed.

'She's not Lucas. Jeremy is…is Peyton's son,' Haley said slowly not wanting to give away too much.

'Oh right, sorry.'

Haley was going to say something, but the ringing of the doorbell cut her off. Nathan yelled that he'd get it and Lucas was glad because Haley was busy preparing something, which would have left him to do it.

'Hey I have to use the bathroom, I'll be right back,' Lucas excused himself and rushed out the room. He was so not ready for this.

Meanwhile at the door Nathan was talking with Peyton, Brooke, and Julian.

'Glad you guys could all make it,' he smiled as he led them into the house.

'Psh like we'd miss a get together with our favorite couple and six-year old,' Brooke said in her usual cheery voice. 'Speaking of, where is that little monster?'

'Last I knew he'd ran off to his room to get something he wanted to show to Lucas,' Nathan casually responded, not really thinking.

'So he is coming?' Brooke asked before the other two could.

'He's actually here already.'

Three pairs of eyes automatically were looking at Nathan and then the doorbell rang again, he hurried off to get it as the other three settled down in the living room.

Jeremy who'd been silent so far had begun to cry in his mother's arms and Peyton knew he needed to be changed so she excused herself before going down the hallway into one of the spare bedrooms that Nate and Haley always made sure had baby supplies in.

Lucas had finally found the courage in him to leave and he pushed open the door heading out, his eyes focused intently on the floor below him.

Peyton's eyes had been aimed down at the almost six-month old child in her arms as she did her best to shush him.

And it was then as he was walking one way, she another, both of them not looking in front of them as they collided. Peyton had bumped hard into his shoulder and felt her footing slip, she was falling and Jeremy was sliding from her reach.

But just as suddenly two strong hands were securely catching her, balancing her upright.

'Peyton, I'm sorry,' Lucas rasped out, his fingertips still remaining on her waist.

Her mouth went dry when she realized it was him. 'No, it's alright…I wasn't watching, I should've been looking. I'm just so clumsy-'

'Peyton, you're rambling,' he stopped her, flashing a grin.

'Sorry,' she blushed and then she heard another soft cry remembering what she had planned to do.

'I really need to change him, that's actually where I was going,' she pointed down the hall.

'Right, I'll just go then,' he nodded and stepped away.

'Lucas, you wouldn't want to come help me?' She asked shyly.

'Sure,' he turned around and started following her to the empty bedroom.

He watched intently as she lowered her son with such care onto the bed and changed him, before picking him back up in her arms all ever so naturally as if she was born to be a mother. It was a beautiful moment and Lucas knew it was one he'd carry with him for the rest of his life.

'He's beautiful, Peyton.'

'Yeah?' She asked, her heart pounding hard.

'Yeah and that is one lucky kid having you as a mother.'

She smiled over at him and moved near to the door by which Lucas stood. 'Would like to hold him?'

His eyes went wide, but he nodded and she was then placing the small child into his waiting arms.

Lucas was instantly swooning as the boy seemed to nestle further into his arms and he felt something he'd never felt before in that moment. Something that enlightened him, but then had him dismissive just as quickly. This wasn't his son, he would never have the chance to cherish this boy and his mother, and he'd never be apart of their family.

Peyton on the other hand was getting teary. She never thought he'd get to hold their son like that, never even get to see Jeremy for that matter. The pain that was in Lucas' eyes had immediately vanished once Jeremy was in his arms and that warmed her heart. And she really couldn't keep this secret of Jeremy's parentage forever. She had to tell him.

'Lucas, there's something I-'

'Dinner's ready!' Brooke's voiced bellowed throughout the house, effectively putting a stop to Peyton's almost revelation.

'We should probably go,' he gestured with his eyes to the door, his voice full of sadness knowing he'd have to hand Peyton's son back over.

'Yeah, we all know how demanding 'Hungry Brooke' can be,' Peyton mildly joked before gathering Jeremy back in her arms and leading the way out with Lucas following.

By the time they reached the kitchen everyone had circled around the various dishes of food helping themselves and all looked up when Lucas and Peyton walked in together.

Peyton could sense his nervousness and she without thinking placed her hand gently on his arm saying so only he could hear, 'Don't be scared.' He nodded and tried to ignore the tingling in his arm where her hand had just momentarily been touching.

Everyone seemed to let off and went back to what they were all doing. Brooke sent Peyton a questioningly look and she responded with a glance of her own that insisted she'd tell her later.

Andy was the first to approach Lucas saying hello and giving him a warm clap on the shoulder. And soon afterwards everyone was seated around the table.

Nathan sat at the head, Haley was to his left and Jaime to the right. Peyton sat next to Haley and Brooke sat next to Peyton. Julian took a seat across from Brooke. Karen sat next to Brooke and Andy was across from Karen, Lily hadn't come she was staying at a friend's house for the night.

Lucas was the last to pull up a chair and if he put a little thought into it he would have easily realized they had all set him up, leaving the only open chair to be across from Peyton of all people. But he didn't and just sat down thankful to be apart of this moment in time with all his family.

'Jaime would you like to say grace?' Nathan asked breaking the silence of the room.

He nodded fervently and then began. 'Thank you lord for all this food, for specifically the cake I saw in the kitchen. Thank you for mom and dad, Karen and Andy and Lily, Julian, Aunt Brooke who is the best godmother in the world and Aunt Peyton who is the best non-godmother in the world, Jeremy, and for specifically Uncle Lucas. We all love him.' Jaime ended out of breath and opened his eyes to see nine amused faces staring at him.

'I think that was the best grace I've ever heard,' Brooke matter-of-factly stated. 'I am indeed the best godmother in the world.'

'And I am indeed the best non-godmother in the world,' Peyton chipped in laughing along with Brooke.

'And you mister weren't supposed to know about that cake!' Haley exclaimed.

'Mama, you can't hide cake from me,' Jaime seriously stated.

'Haley can't hide anything from anyone,' Lucas jabbed in as Haley's face formed an o and she reached across the table and swatted at his arm.

Conversation flowed smoothly through the rest of the meal and Lucas had caught Peyton's eye a few times and every time she would moderately blush sending a smile his way. That in itself had his hands going clammy and his arms shivering.

And he was feeling really glad for coming because he'd miss this type of thing. He'd missed this feeling of mutual love being shared through a good dinner and gentle banter.

But life always had a funny way of playing tricks on him.

As they were all sitting in the living room relaxing Jaime had said something that took him completely off guard.

'So Julian is Uncle Lucas' book going to be a movie?' Jaime innocently asked.

Now Lucas who had found out over the course of the night that Julian wasn't interested in Peyton, but rather Brooke, hadn't had any real issues with him. He had a good humor, an interesting career, was kind but a little cocky at times and seemed like a generally nice person.

Julian who was taken off guard by Jaime's question squirmed a little not exactly sure what to say. How are you supposed to tell the author of a book whose been missing for almost two years that his work was being made into a movie without even the slightest consent?

'Wait, is that why you're here? It's being made into a movie? Don't you need my permission or something?' Lucas asked his voice slightly rising.

'Actually it is still just a pitch, nothing's happened officially. We do in fact need your permission, but we haven't reached the point yet where we are even certain that it's going to happen,' Julian explained hoping to salvage the situation.

Lucas was stupefied and didn't say anything for several seconds. When he finally snapped back to reality he noticed everyone staring at him, anticipating what he had to say next. Instead he started to walk out of the room really needing to get some air and time to think over things. He needed to calm himself too because he knew the tightening in his chest was not normal.

Just as he was pushing the patio door open Haley's voice stopped him. 'Where are you going Lucas?' She asked as they all were still looking to him.

'I, I really just need some air. If any of you happen to have anymore life-altering things/secrets that I should know about please just tell me flat out,' he directed at everyone before continuing on outside.

And as soon as he had said that 12 eyes flew to where Peyton was sitting next to Brooke staring intently at her hands.

'Peyton?' Brooke asked calmly.

'I don't know if I can do it,' she hoarsely responded.

'You heard him Peyton, the longer you wait the harder it'll be on him and on you.'

'I know and you're right…I'm just afraid.'

'Afraid? Afraid of what?'

'What if he runs away, what if he can't handle it, what if he…he hates me?'

'Honey, Lucas Scott could never hate you. You know that,' Brooke gently said.

'That's just the thing Brooke, I don't know that. He abandoned me after I told him someday, he ran and proposed to Lindsey after I came back and confessed my love to him, he…he called Lindsey the morning he left after we were together and told her he wanted to rush his marriage. He's still engaged to her, how am I to know that he won't go crawling back to her once he finds out?' She so quietly croaked out so that only Brooke could hear. And maybe if she hadn't, maybe if she had spoke so Nathan or Haley could hear, they'd be able to tell her that none of that last part she said was truth. That Lucas wasn't still engaged to Lindsey and that he'd done the exact opposite on the morning he left.

But she hadn't.

'You know I went and visited him a few days ago. And he told me that he felt as if his one and only true dream had been exhausted. He said that knowing he could never have a family with _you_, have_ his_ children with you was that dream falling apart. He could never hate you Peyton and he deserves to know,' Brooke confessed knowing that might give Peyton the confidence to do what needed to be done.

Peyton finally raised her gaze to Brooke's not believing her ears.

'I'm not lying Peyton, now go and do what's best for you and your son and your guy.'

Brooke then pulled Peyton to her feet and half dragged her to the door, softly pushing her out it. 'And don't worry, this godmother promises to take the best care of Jeremy.'

Peyton blinked a few times and stumbled slightly before finding the confidence to take a few steps. From where she was standing she could see Lucas' silhouette sitting at the edge of the pool, his jeans rolled up with his legs dipped in the water.

She silently moved to the pool, cautiously lowering herself to the right of him and rolling up her own jeans a little, letting her calves slip into the water. He seemed deep in thought and didn't even seem to notice her presence.

While dangling her feet, one of her toes accidently touched his own and she looked over suddenly. He had noticed and had practically jumped out of skin.

'I'm sorry Lucas. I really didn't mean to scare you,' she fired off quickly knowing how frightened he must have felt after going through her own vulnerability issues after Ian came into her life in their senior year.

He loosened a bit and looked over at her, 'It's fine, how long have you been sitting here anyway?'

'About ten minutes,' she shrugged.

'Sorry I was just thinking. Why are you out here?'

'I wanted to talk to you about some things.'

'I'm not mad at Julian by the way, I just really don't think I can physically bear to be withheld from so many important things,' he sighed.

'What do you mean physically bear?'

'I…I…while I was wherever the hell I was, something happened,' he managed, knowing what he was going to say would scare her.

'Something happened, what do you mean something happened?' Her voice filling with worry.

'You have to promise me you won't freak out.'

'I promise. Now tell me.'

'I'm serious Peyton, I don't want you getting upset or anything because it's not as bad as it'll sound,' he tried again.

'You know what you're saying isn't helping with me not getting worried.'

'Fine, I'll just spill. I had a heart attack, it was bad and they barely saved me,' he closed his eyes and tried to speak as unworried as possible.

'Oh my god,' she gasped, feeling as if she'd been exasperated of air. Her eyes were clouding and she felt a soft sob takeover her throat.

'Hey, hey I'm still here though aren't I? I'm not going anywhere,' he assured as he wiped the tears from her eyes.

'So your heart is fine now, you're on medication?' She slowly choked out.

'Yeah, I am. I just have to be careful with my temper and emotions and things like the whole movie deal can easily trigger me. That's why I had to come out here,' he explained.

She looked away as he said that and shook her head, really not wanting to share what she had to say. 'I have to tell you something, but I don't know if you'll be able to handle it now.'

'Peyton, I'm sure I can.'

'Ask me, ask me my son's full name,' she whispered.

'What, what do you mean?'

'Just ask me what my son's name is,' she urged finally glancing back at him.

'What's your son's name?' He asked confused as ever.

'Jeremy, Jeremy Keith _Scott_,' she pronounced clearly.

'Scott? You mean…' he trailed off his eyes bulging over at her.

'Yes Lucas, Jeremy is your son, our son. You're a father,' she spoke lovingly and let several tears trail down her face, absolutely terrified of what was to come next.

* * *

_AN: Oh no, oh my, I really hate leaving cliffys (I hate reading them even more, it's just the worst ugh) and I understand, but it makes it easier to put an end to a chapter. So I am sincerely sorry for that happening in this chapter and most likely several future chapters to come. _

_And I just wasted an entire Saturday writing this so I hope it's good. Anyway, now that the cat is out of the bag what will happen? Open arms, forgiveness, running away, bad karma even? Leave me some feedback and maybe I'll start dropping hints. _

_And thanks for reading, thank you all. _


	13. Chapter 13

_AN: So I really suck, I do, but hopefully this will make up for it? Enjoy._

* * *

Chapter 13:

He had gone into shock, all his joints locked up. His jaw was slightly ajar, hands shaking, blood pounding in his head.

No words could form in his brain; he wasn't even positive what he was feeling.

'Lucas…' Peyton breathed out worried, unsure of whether he was going to collapse in front of her, pass out, run, scream, or take her in his arms, which she completely doubted.

She took a leap of courage and pressed her palm about where his heart was to make certain that he was okay, and his heart rate was thundering a little too quickly.

Her touch though seemed to bring him out of his frozen, unresponsive state.

'You must hate me,' he murmured as if in a daze, finally looking straight into her eyes.

'Hate you? Why would I hate you?' Of all things he could do, she never saw him saying those words.

'I, I forced you into staying with me that night. I put you in an awful position and you said it was a mistake. I'm sorry Peyton, I'm sorry I caused you to go through all that by yourself, that…that I couldn't be there,' he choked out brokenly.

'It wasn't a mistake though, none of it. Jeremy is the best thing I have in my life and he's been like a little miracle to me.'

His eyes brightened slightly at that and she had to look away from the intensity of his gaze. This man still managed to ignite butterflies in her even after so much lost time.

'I saw you on TRL, well I was forced to watch your interview,' he began taking her off guard.

'Yeah?'

'Yeah, that's pretty incredible. For you and Jake both, you seemed so happy. And at the time I thought that might've had something to do with me, me being gone and not a burden in any of your lives anymore. And I don't remember exactly what happened, but it was then that my attack started and I thought that if that was the end I was okay with that. You obviously seemed so happy and I figured you were with Jake, and that's fine if you were or still are-'

'Lucas-'

'No let me finish. I knew you'd be taken care of and that was all that mattered, and all of you,' he gestured with his eyes to the door that led inside, 'are obviously all doing great and fine and now that I've come back I'm messing up that balance. I never should have come back,' he rambled on deliriously.

'Luke, it's not like that god. Don't say that!' She hissed.

'It is though Peyton. You deserve someone better, Jeremy deserves someone better, my sister, my mom, they deserve a better brother and son and not me. I'm nothing, I'm worthless, I put you all through pain that I shouldn't have, I, I've said to much. I have to go,' he rushed and then was getting up quickly.

'Lucas no, that's no true. Don't go,' Peyton grabbed at his arm after getting up herself.

Her touch stopped him and he looked into her eyes, seeing that she felt exactly the same way. They hadn't been this near in ages and he could tell that it was affecting her just as much as it was affecting him. Her hold though remained as they openly gazed at each other, a million words being said through the movement of their eyes alone.

Her features were flattened out besides the worry line that adorned her forehead as she helplessly braved into the depths of his guarded blue eyes, ignoring the shock that was flowing within her from where her hand grasped to him.

'I need you Lucas, I really truly need you,' she quietly choked out as tears brimmed over her eyelashes.

He reached out and dragged the pad of his thumb to gently wipe her tears away before enveloping her into his arms. It was exactly everything she needed in that moment.

'I need you too Peyt, more than you know,' he gravelly spoke into her ear thinking about the demons that seemed to surround him at night. Having her arms wrapped safely around him though was exactly everything he needed in that moment.

She buried her head farther into his shoulder as he wordlessly rubbed his hand up and down her back hoping to comfort her.

And they stayed in that position for some time, both of them with their eyes closed hanging on for dear life to the other. It all ended too soon though when Peyton heard the sliding glass door open and she raised her eyes to see Brooke step out.

After Brooke had left Peyton to talk with Lucas earlier in the evening she had hurried off to take care of Jeremy and came back into Nathan and Haley's living room about ten minutes later to find it completely empty.

Confused, she left the room and headed into the kitchen to find Haley, Karen, Nathan, Julian, and Andy all pathetically peering out to where Lucas and Peyton were seated next to each other by the pool.

'Ahem,' she cleared her throat loudly making all of them jump causing Brooke to smirk.

'Are you guys like five? Snooping on them, so not cool,' she continued on.

'Oh, I think she told him!' Haley exclaimed, completely ignoring Brooke.

'Guys seriously let's give them some space,' Brooke finally went over to the group and closed the blinds on the door completely shut receiving many disappointed groans as she did so. They all slowly wandered back to the living room and fell back into normal conversation and soon an hour had passed and it was getting late.

Karen and Andy said their goodbyes, and Brooke was planning on following their suit, but she couldn't considering she'd told Peyton she'd watch over Jeremy. Haley stepped in though and offered to care for the little boy so Brooke could go outside and tell Peyton.

Brooke nervously approached the door, not really knowing what to expect of her two favorite brooding blondes. She opened it though and let her eyes adjust to the darkness before landing on the sight of Peyton and Lucas embraced in a hug. She couldn't help the grin that seemed to spread widely across her face.

Taking a few steps closer she found her voice. 'Hey guys, I hate to interrupt, but it's getting kind of late and Julian and I were planning on leaving.'

'Oh okay, thanks for watching him,' Peyton said gracefully as she stepped back from Lucas and spoke to Brooke straight on.

'I should probably get going too,' Peyton continued on and all three of them walked back into the house to where Nathan and Julian were waiting in the kitchen.

Brooke thanked Nathan for dinner and her and Julian both hugged him before turning to where Peyton and Lucas were.

'I'll see you at the house in a little bit,' Brooke whispered in Peyton's ear and Peyton nodded before smiling at her. Brooke then moved to Lucas.

'I've missed you Broody,' she whispered into his ear and he nodded and smiled at her.

They left soon after and it was just Nathan, Lucas, and Peyton left.

'So um Haley took Jeremy to Jaime's room because he wanted to read a bedtime story to him,' Nathan said breaking the silence in the room.

'Thanks Nate, I'll go get him,' she made to set off, but Lucas stopped her.

'Would it be alright, can I, can I get him for you?' He asked hesitantly.

She seemed surprised by his request, but obliged and he sent her a small smile before walking down the hallway.

'So you told him?' Nathan shot off as soon as Lucas was gone.

'I did,' she looked up at him and he was throwing his arms around her immediately.

'I'm glad Sawyer.'

Meanwhile Lucas had just found Jaime's room and he took a breath before walking in. Haley was seated with Jeremy in her arms on the floor as Jaime sat next to her and was halfway through reading a book that he held in his hands, shooting a smile down at his cousin every so often.

It warmed Lucas' heart and he made sure not to make his presence known until the story was finished.

'Knock knock,' he said lightly as he moved into the room, causing Haley and Jaime to both look up.

'Luke, hey,' Haley smiled at him.

'You're becoming quite the reader Jaime,' he said as he kneeled in front of his nephew.

Jaime nodded happily.

'Well mister, now that we've read your story it's time for bed,' Haley stressed as she stood up.

'I'll take Jeremy Hales, that's actually why I came in here,' Lucas stated simply.

'You sure?'

'Yeah, he's my son after all,' he spoke softly causing Haley to turn her head towards him, shock all across her face.

'She told you?' She asked cheerfully.

'She did,' he smiled and felt his heart race as Haley ever so carefully handed his son over to him, awing at the moment in front of her eyes as the child rested peacefully in his father's arms.

He stood there for a few minutes reveling in the child sleeping in his arms. He was still really young, but little blond curly hairs were starting emerge from his head and Lucas couldn't think of a single thing that was more perfect, besides Peyton. Peyton Sawyer was an angel; a goddamned angel and he'd been the lucky man to father her handsome son.

Finally lifting his head, he sent Haley a wink and told her thanks for dinner before patting Jaime's shoulder and walking back down the hallway he came.

* * *

'What if he runs Nate?' Peyton whispered into Nathan's shoulder.

'Run, why would Lucas run?'

'Because oh, I don't know he's still engaged to Lindsey,' she said with contempt and pulled back from his embrace.

'Peyton, there's something you should really know,' Nathan started, totally forgetting that Peyton had been left out of the whole situation.

'What?' She raised an eyebrow, not understanding.

'Lucas-'

He trailed off from what he was saying as Lucas walked back into the room carrying his son in his arms. He looked content and Nathan might have shed a tear or two at the sight, but he'd never admit that to anyone.

'Our son is pretty great,' he cooed at the boy as he came into the kitchen.

Peyton had a million thoughts running through her head, but the one that stuck out was how great of a dad she knew Lucas was going to be. And hearing him say 'our son' just melted her heart.

Finally finding her voice she spoke as Lucas slowly lifted the sleeping boy into her arms. 'He is isn't he?'

'Absolutely,' he stared lovingly over at her and then glanced at the clock on the wall realizing how late it was.

'Well I really have to go, would it be alright if I stopped by tomorrow?' He asked Peyton and she just nodded.

Lucas then hugged his brother and placed a light kiss on his son's head, an even lighter kiss on Peyton's cheek and then left out the door into the cold air. It wasn't a particularly long walk, but he was still pretty wary.

He wasn't ever a paranoid person; he'd never really had any physical fears. But since he'd come back and was allowed access to the free world, he'd been on edge.

And walking out in public places after ten seemed kind of like a bad idea, but he knew if he had asked Nathan for a ride Peyton would have more than likely offered, not that that was a bad thing, he just needed time to think over things. And he couldn't stay the night at Nathan and Haley's because he'd most likely wake up shrieking and waking them all up, something he didn't want to do.

So he had rushed out of that house as soon as possible and was now slinking in the shadows hurriedly.

He managed to make it to his house okay though; only having to calm himself once after a local dog had begun barking at him. He climbed his steps and fumbled with the key in his pocket before unlocking the door and locking it just as fast behind him.

He threw his jacket onto his couch and then took a seat at his kitchen table, placing his head in his hands with both his elbows resting atop the wooden surface. And he finally let all the info he'd been fed sink in.

His book was being made into a movie, which was an insane feat in itself that he never imagined happening. His other writing was to be published and he wasn't exactly certain on how he felt about that, considering it was a more personal letter to Peyton that he never planned on having anyone read.

But most importantly, he had a son. A son with Peyton Sawyer, the son he always dreamed he'd have with her. And he got to thinking that he'd missed so much; all the doctor visits, seeing Jeremy's heartbeat, being there with Peyton throughout the whole pregnancy, missing out on spoiling her and doing any and everything that she demanded of, being there with her when he was born, helping her the first few strenuous weeks of being new parents.

He'd missed too much and it was something he'd never forgive himself for. He probably sat at that table for twenty minutes or so just thinking before he finally rose and entered his bedroom, knowing if he didn't try to sleep now, he'd just sit up all night staring at his walls.

He grabbed a pair of flannel bottoms from one of his drawers and put on a light t-shirt before climbing into his bed and laid down hesitantly. And he thought of Peyton and as if by some miracle his eyes drooped and his arms numbed.

* * *

_He was standing in a dank room, it smelled strongly of moss and the ground was damp, he was obviously in a cellar of some sort somewhere._

_There was no noise, no light, just calm silence and he didn't understand. _

_But then he heard it, a shrill scream coming from a few feet in front of him, the darkness slowly lifting and his eyes finally landing on what caused the noise._

_He felt his heart stop and felt the blood pounding uncontrollably in his ears. Peyton was tied to a chair, in a position that he'd been in many times before himself. _

_And two men were attacking her, mocking her, jeering at her. Placing ragged kisses all along her neck as she tried futilely to lean away from their onslaught. Blood stained her wrists and bruises adorned every inch of her once flawless skin. A burn mark appeared perfectly over the spot where she'd been shot in the library so long ago. _

_Lucas lunged forward intending to make those men regret their current actions, but something stopped him, as if an invisible force field stood before him allowing nothing to pass through it. He tried and tried, kicking, ramming himself into it but he couldn't move forward even an inch and was forced to helplessly watch them assault her. _

_And it only added to the pain when she started calling for him, screeching his name deliriously as if he was her mantra. _

'_Lucas, Lucas help! Lucas I need you, I need you to save me,' she pleaded._

He woke up in a cold sweat, his forehead drenched, his fists curled tightly. He glanced at his alarm clock and realized he'd been asleep for not even an hour. Sighing he sat up and shook his head furiously, trying to tell himself it was just a dream a nightmare and nothing more.

But he couldn't shake her voice as it continued to call for him in his mind. He didn't know what to do and he even considered going over to her place and seeing if she was fine, but he wasn't sure how he'd manage to get there safely.

Grabbing his cellphone he dialed her number and waited with baited breath, as she didn't pick up, only adding to his anxiety. The voicemail sounded and he was left with his only attempt to feel better.

'Peyton…I, I, it's late, but could you come over now? It's important,' he stuttered softly and then hung up, praying she'd get the message.

He padded over to his side door and unlocked the door, then took a seat on the side of his bed that faced towards the door and waited patiently.

* * *

It was almost one in the morning when she had reached his house. Only twenty minutes before she had been snuggled up in bed when her cellphone went off and Lucas had left an ominous voicemail asking her to come over right away.

She at first considered not going, but then as she listened to the message once again she could hear the slight tremor in his voice and the fear latched onto his words and she knew he needed her in that moment.

She woke up Brooke and asked her to watch Jeremy and told her that she'd be back in the morning. Brooke had agreed, but of course asked where Peyton could possibly be going so late but was met with only an, 'I just have to run somewhere real quick.' And Peyton rushed out the door right after without another word. Brooke just smiled to herself; Peyton was going to see Lucas that much was obvious.

Peyton had hurried into her car and when she was about a block away from her and Brooke's house it started to pour. She continued on and within less than 10 minutes her Comet was parked outside his house and she was running up his porch steps, the cold rain speeding up her gait.

By the time she was in front of the side door that opened to his room, her hair was completely wet and her feet were soaked through, but she didn't mind. Knocking softly she entered and was surprised to find a hunched Lucas sitting with his legs over the side of his bed, his eyes focused straight ahead of him, large bags from no sleep bunching under his lashes. His hands were tightly entwined with the sheets on either side of his legs.

'Lucas,' she said worriedly, understanding somewhat he might be going through. He was in fear, fear of whatever he'd gone through for all those months he'd been taken and she wanted nothing more than to help take that pain away as he had once done for her.

Her voice seemed to bring him back to reality and he meet her eyes feeling a weight go off his shoulders.

'I'm sorry I called you so late, it's just…'

'I know,' she said stepping into the room further.

'I just can't sleep at night…and I had this dream, that, that they'd done to you what they did to me and I just needed to see you,' he whispered out into the darkness that filled his room.

She sympathetically nodded and took a seat next to him. 'You remember after the first and I guess even more so the second time Ian attacked? You helped me so much and if you hadn't been in my life, I'm not sure how I would have gone on.'

He turned to face her as he listened and she took one of his hands in both of hers.

'I _want_ to be able to do that for you now. I want you to be able to call me at insane hours; I want to help you through this. I want to be there for you as you were there for me,' she said intensely, squeezing his hand.

He wanted to tell her right then and there that he loved her, but he knew they still had things to talk about and he was starting to believe that she didn't love him anymore based on all the hot and cold signals he'd received in only the short time he'd been back.

'Will you, would you stay? I don't think I'll be able to survive the night not knowing if your safe or not,' he brokenly stated, the images from his nightmare flashing before his eyes once again.

'Of course Luke,' she said then stood taking off her shoes and jacket.

'There's uh, there's a pair of your shorts in my bottom drawer and a few shirts if you want to change,' he awkwardly said as he moved onto his side of the bed, pulling his covers over him absentmindedly.

She was surprised to hear that he still had some of her things, actually any of her things at all, but it's not like she hadn't kept the stuff he'd left her over the years.

She actually had a whole drawer stashed away and filled with memories of him; a few tees that she had begun to wear religiously to sleep after he'd went on his life-threatening trip, handwritten letters from him from high school, a series of polaroid's in which every photo they were smiling together or kissing or gazing into one another's eyes that they'd taken one afternoon when Karen had found the old camera lying around the house, his tie that he'd left in the hotel room that night he proposed, and many other little knick knacks that had defined their relationship.

She walked over to the drawer and dug around pulling out a pair of sleep shorts, but then turned to his closet knowing that wearing his shirt would give them both a greater sense of security.

Not bothering to leave the room and change, she had her back turned to him as she easily slipped off the top she'd thrown on quickly before leaving her house and threw on a simple red t-shirt of his before undoing her soggy jeans and just as quickly pulling the shorts up her legs.

Lucas had watched the whole thing and couldn't help the tingle that spread across his entire body as he saw the creamy expanse of her back and then even better was privileged to view her long legs that he had missed so greatly. His mouth went completely dry though when she turned back around and walked across his room determinedly placing her discarded clothes in a pile on top of his dresser, his tee hugging her frame all the while.

He made a mental note to not wash that shirt for the next week knowing her smell would be gracing it for the next few days.

She then tentatively approached the side of the bed that was empty and climbed in, making sure to leave a safe distance between them.

She turned on her side before speaking. 'You know, I might just have some of your things too.'

'Yeah?' He asked as he turned on his side, their faces only a foot apart.

'Yeah,' she said with a shy smile.

He let his eyes scan her face then, taking in the sight he'd dreamed of many nights and it was then that he noticed her hair was damp.

'Your hair's wet,' he stated, lifting a hand to push a few strands off her forehead.

'It started raining when I drove over here, it still is.'

'You cold?' He asked concerned, noticing then the goose bumps that were rising on her arms.

'A little, but I'm fine. I came over to take care of you though, not have you to take care of me,' she teasingly said and he just shook his head.

'I like taking care of you, it's my job,' he seriously stated locking his eyes with hers in an intense stare.

She felt her pulse racing and a million thoughts flooded her head, but she was at a loss for words. 'I know,' was all she whispered back conveying far too many different emotions in those two simple words.

'Come here,' he said, using his arm to pull her closer to him, turning her to the other side so her back was against his chest and his arm was draped over her waist.

She let her body melt into his without thought and it felt as everything was finally falling into place, with the man she loved, the man who fathered her son, breathing into her hair and holding onto her like a vice. Holding onto her as if his life depended on it and only that. His hand was entwined with hers and their legs were carelessly draped over one another's.

'This, right here, is the safest I've felt since I've been back,' he confessed, his breath tickling her neck.

'It's the safest I've felt in almost five years,' she quietly spoke, snuggling into him more.

He wasn't sure what to say to that with his regrets returning so much more vividly so he just held her a little tighter feeling the lures of sleep dashing through his mind, something that seemed long forgotten.

'Get some sleep Luke, I won't leave you.'

_I won't ever leave you_, she thought to herself.

He nodded which he knew she'd feel and then said so gently, 'Goodnight Peyton.'

She felt his breathing even out a little and was close to letting herself fall asleep knowing that he was, but then she heard the softest whisper, a whisper that shook her to the core.

'Goodnight Jeremy, I love you.'

_I love you both, _he thought to himself.

* * *

_AN: We ain't even close to being done so send me some thoughts, they're all appreciated._


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